An Analytical Framework for Comparing the Policy, Law, Regulation and Management Planning for Highly Migratory Species

(Billfish) in the Wider Caribbean Basin

Conservation Clinic University of Florida/University of Costa Rica Joint Program in Environmental Law

Joe Mathews, UF Law Tayler Clark, UCR marine biology

Antionette Vanterpool, UF Law Edil Sepulveda, Univ. of Puerto Rico Law

Kalla Hirschbein, Golden Gate Law Faculty Supervisor: Tom Ankersen

San Jose, Costa Rica July, 2010

Introduc)on  Client:   The  Billfish  Foundation  

Project  Purpose:    Provide research on and a comparative analysis of the

regulation of highly migratory species (including billfish and tuna) in the Wider Caribbean Basin.

The  Billfish  Founda)on  (TBF)    Nonprofit  founded  in  1986  

 Mission  to  conserve  Billfish  worldwide  

  Focus:    Research   Education   Advocacy of responsible

fisheries management   To influence decision makers

with sound science to successfully conserve billfish

TBF  Focus  on  Science      Stock  assessments    Reproductive  science    Bycatch  science    Habitat  and  Migration    Tagging  program  contains  nearly  200,000  tag  and  release  records  from  six  continents    Satellite    Conventional    

TBF  Conserva)on  Policy    Socio-­‐economic  research    Longline  closed  zones   End  commercial  sale  of  billfish  

 Access  to  fishing    International  fisheries  management  

 Recognize  future  fishing  depends  on  conservation  

Introduc)on  to  Highly  Migratory  Species  (HMS)    

 Origins  in  Article  64  of  UNCLOS   No  operational  definition    List  of  agreed  upon  species  was  attached  as  Annex  1:  

  11  tuna  species:  (albacore,  bluefin,  bigeye  tuna,  yellowfin)    12  billfish  species  (sailfish,  marlin,  swordfish)    Ocean  going  sharks,  dolphins  and  other  cetaceans  

 HMS  migrate  significant,  but  variable  distances  across  oceans  for  feeding  or  reproduction  

Blue  Marlin   Makaira  nigricans   New  England  Uruguay   Largest  of  the  marlins  

  Common  up  to  11  feet;  3.4  meters  

  Known  to  exceed  2,000  lbs;  907  kg  

 Predators  include  white  shark,  mako…and  humans.  

Blue  Marlin  Outlook  

 Tournaments  reporting  record  catches   Abundance  at  20%  of  pre-­‐longlining  (1960)  level  

 Last  stock  assessment  completed  in  2006   Recent  studies  show  population  remains  below  sustainable  levels  

  ICCAT  recommends  50%  decrease  in  catch  to  stabilize  population  

White  Marlin   Tetrapturus  albidus   Smaller  than  blue  marlin,  45  to  65  lbs;  20–30  kg  

 Can  weigh  more  than  100  pounds;  45  kg  

 Can  live  25-­‐30  years   Little  known  about  spawning  habits  

White  Marlin  Outlook    Last  stock  assessment  completed  in  2006  

  ICCAT  recommends  67%  reduction  in  catch  to  stabilize  population  

  By  the  beginning  of  2000,  the  biomass  (left)  had  been  driven  down  to  just  13%  of  the  sustainable  level  (MSY)  

  Abundance  continuing  to  decline  

Sailfish  

  Istiophorus  albicans    Grow  up  to  3  meters;  10  ft,  Weigh  up  to  200  lbs;  90kg    Two  recognized  Atlantic  stocks:  eastern  and  western    Sail  is  raised  when  threatened  or  excited    Spawn  year  round  over  a  wide  area:  Florida  to  Cote  d’Ivoire  

Sailfish  Outlook    In  1960,  the  stock  was  healthy  at  1.2  -­‐  1.5  maximum  sustainable  yield  

 By  1992,  the  population  was  only  60%  of  MSY    Last  stock  assessment  in  2009   Main  targets  of  artisanal  and  recreational  fisheries   East  stock  more  overfished  than  west   East  stock  well  below  MSY  than  west   Concern  for  east  stock  is  much  greater  than  west  

Impacts  and  Threats  to  Billfish  1.  Bycatch  from  Commercial  Fishing  

 Commercial  vessels  (longlines,  gillnets  and  purse  seines)  are  responsible  for  99%  of  the  reported  kill  of  Atlantic  blue  and  white  marlin  

 Recreational  fishermen,  who  voluntarily  release  a  self-­‐reported  99%  of  their  catch  to  help  conserve  the  resource,  are  responsible  for  less  than  1%  of  the  annual  fishing  mortality  

 25%  of  blue  marlin  and  30%  of  white  marlin  caught  on  longlines  are  already  dead  on  arrival  at  the  vessel  

Impacts  and  Threats  to  Billfish  2.  Overfishing  by  Directed  Fisheries   The  Japanese  and  Cubans  harvest  over  a  thousand  tons  of  blue  marlin  annually  from  the  Caribbean  region  alone.    

 Artisanal  fisheries  may  be  negating  ICCAT  efforts  to  mitigate  impacts  from  longline  bycatch  

 Marlin  species  are  caught  and  retained  by  all  industrial  fishing  fleets,  except  those  of  the  U.S.    Within  the  U.S.  EEZ,  commercial  vessels  are  required  to  release  all  billfish  captured,  but  survival  rate  is  low  due  to  death  or  damage  during  capture.  

Impacts  and  Threats  to  Billfish  3.  Lack  of  Scien)fic  Understanding   Under-­‐reporting  of  catch   Misidentification  of  species   Debate  about  existence  of  different  stocks  and  populations  

 General  lack  of  knowledge  due  to  highly  migratory  patterns  

HMS  Management  Challenges  

 Wide  geographic  distributions   Billfish  regularly  migrate  across  the  international  boundaries  

 Regulations  differ  among  states   Management  of  highly  migratory  species  requires  international  and  regional  cooperation  

Project  Overview  Addresses  some  of  the  challenges  in  managing  HMS  

Tasks      Draft  a  principle  based  framework,  to  serve  as  the  basis  for  a  comparative  analysis.  

  Research  the  highly  migratory  species  laws,  regulations  and  policy  for  Caribbean  States  selected  and  prioritized  by  TBF    

  Use  the  framework  as  a  basis  to  analyze,  compare,  and  contrast  each  state’s  regulatory  scheme.    

  Provide  recommendations  for  country-­‐specific  regulatory  reform  and  regional  agreement  to  harmonize  highly  migratory  species  regulation  in  the  Wider  Caribbean.  

States  Selected  for  Analysis  

1. Dominican Republic; 2. Cuba; 3. The Bahamas; 4. Venezuela; 5.  Jamaica; 6. Mexico; 7. The British Virgin Islands; 8. Aruba; 9. Martinique or Guadeloupe; and 10. Trinidad and Tobago.

Principles  Based  Framework  The  purpose:     Provide  consistent  basis  for  analysis  and  comparison  of  domestic  laws  regulations  and  policies    

  Identify  potential  avenues  for  improving  regional  conservation  /  protection  of  billfish  (and  other  highly  migratory  species)  through:   Domestic  Reform    Regional  consistency  in  domestic  HMS  laws  and  regulations  

  International    or  Regional  Agreements  

How  the  Framework  Works   Designed  to  present  a  broad  overview  of  potential  fisheries  management  policies  and  tools,  and  approaches  to  fisheries  management  

 A  series  of  94  Questions  to  determine  whether  and  to  what  extent  the  state  has  implemented  or  has  the  ability  to  implement  these  management  measures  

How  the  Framework  Works  Answering  the  Questions  

  Yes  /  No  or  Short  Answer    Expanded  Answers    If  a  given  policy  tool  or  management  approach  has  not  been  implemented  for  billfish  does  the  agency  or  government  have  the  authority    

Two  formats  for  compiling  /presenting  the  information  gathered   Short  format  –  facilitates  side-­‐by-­‐side  comparison  of  countries   Long  format  –  provides  more  detail  once  a  potential  area  for  improvement  is  identified  

Framework  Ques)ons  Nine  Categories  of  Questions    Administrative  Structure    The  Role  of  Science  and  Data  in  Management  Decisions    Data  Collection  and  Research  for  Billfish  and  Tuna  Fisheries    Limits  on  Fishing  Effort,  Entry,  and  Harvest  of  Billfish  and  Tuna    Management  of  Bycatch,  Discards  and  Non-­‐target  Species:    Monitoring  Control  Compliance  and  Enforcement    Education  and  Outreach    Recreational  Fisheries    Other  Contact  Information  for  Relevant  Agencies  

Applica)on  of  the  Framework  

Selected  Questions  and  Answers  from:     The  Bahamas   The  Dominican  Republic   Costa  Rica  

Administra)ve  Structure  Country   Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

What  government    agency  or  subdivision  is  the  primary  agency  responsible  for  regulating  highly  migratory  species  fisheries  within  the  state?  

 Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Marine  Resources   Department  of  Marine  Resources  

 Ministry  of  Environment  and  Natural  Resources   CODOPESCA  

 INCOPESCA   MINAET  

Citation    Dept.  of  Marine  Resources  website  [www.bahamas.gov.bs]  

 Art.  17,  Law  64  of  2000   Art.  4,  Law  307  of  2004  

 Art.  14,  Law  8436  of  2005  

Fisheries  Policy  and  Planning  Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

Do  goals  and  objectives  reflect  the  long-­‐term  conservation  of  fish  stocks?  

 Yes.   Done  through  licenses   Acts  of  Governor-­‐General  

 Yes   Objective  of  Fisheries  Law  of  2004   Division  of  Fishing  Resources  Policy  Goal  

 Yes   Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Development  Plan  

Citation    Ch.  244  9(4)(a)   Ch.  244  10(1)  

 Art.1,  Law  307  of  2004   Ministry  of  Environment  and  Natural  Resources  website  

 Art.  3,  Law  8436  of  2005  

Are  stakeholders  involved  in  the  development  and  implementation  of  fisheries  policy?  

No    Yes   Board  of  Directors  of  CODOPESCA  

 No  

Citation  

Role  of  Science  and  Data  in  Management  Decisions  Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

Does  the  law  require  that  fisheries  policy  and  management  decisions  are  based  on  (informed  by)  the  best  scientific  evidence  available?  

 Yes    Yes   “Should  be  based  on  best  scientific  criteria  available”  

 Yes  

Citation    Ch.  244  19(a)(ii)  

 Art.1,  Law  307  of  2004  

 Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Law  

Does  the  fisheries  management  law  and  policy  framework  promote  the  use  of  science  and  research  results  as  a  basis  for  setting  management  objectives,  reference  points  and  performance  criteria?  

 Yes   Conch  example  

 Yes   Coordination  with  national  agencies,  universities,  and  international  agencies  

 Yes   Chapter  IV  Research  

Citation    Article  by    Ch.  10,  Law  307  of    Ch.  4,  Law  8436  of  

Data  Collec)on  and  Research  Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

Are  fishermen  required  to  submit  reports  to  the  relevant  government  agency?  

 Yes   Foreign  licenses  require  submission  of  information   No  local  requirement  

 Yes   Catches,  size,  frequency  and  any  other  necessary  information  

 Yes  

Citation    Ch.  244  9(1)  &  (2)Subsidiary  Legislation    

 Art.  16,  Law  307  of  2004  

 Art.  41,  Law  8436  of  2005  

Does  the  relevant  government  agency  document  or  keep  records    of  fishery  related  activities?  

 Minister  may  provide  for  record  keeping   Forms  must  be  submitted  for  permits  

 Yes   Creation  of  an  updated  register  of  fishing  activities  

 Yes   Public  registry  of  INCOPESCA   Not  regularly  updated  

Citation   Ch.  244  9(1)(u)  &  Subsidiary  Legislation    4  &  5  

 Art.  14  &  70,  Law  307  of  2004  

 Art.  110,  Law  8436  of  2005  

Limits  on  Fishing  Effort  and  Entry  to  the  Fishery    Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

Are  fishermen  required  to  obtain  a  general  fishing  permit?  

   Yes   Foreign  Fishermen   No  relevant  information  for  local  fishermen  

 Yes   Just  local  fishermen  are  required   Lasts  for  2  years  

 Yes  

Citation   Ch.  244  7&  9  (1)   Art.  15,  Law  307  of  2004  

Do  the  regulations  distinguish  between  the  different  types  of  fishermen  (commercial,  recreational  etc…)  in  terms  of  the  requirements  that  are  imposed?  

 Yes   Commercial  and  recreational   Recreational-­‐Part  10  Sportsfishing  

 Yes   Subsistence  fishing  not  included  in  fishing  license   Restriction  on    industrial  fishing  activity  

 Yes   Commercial  fishermen  –  official  fishing  license;  Sport  fishermen  –  Sport  fishing  license  

Citation    Ch.  244  11(1)  &  Ch.  244  Subsidiary  

Limits  on  Fishing  Effort  and  Entry  to  the  Fishery    Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

What  type  of  fishing  gear  methods  and  practices  are  prohibited?  

 Yes   Spear  fishing  apparatuses   Long  lines  (unless  approved  by  the  governor  general)  

 Yes     Drift  nets   Seine  and  trawling  in  specific  areas   Long  lines  in  protected  areas   Hooks  and  blunt  gear  for  billfish  breeding  area  

 Yes   Gill  nets  and  trawls  not  allowed  in  deep  water  or  pelagic  fisheries  

Citation    Ch.  244  Subsidiary  6   Ch.  244    22  

 Art.  63,  Law  307  of  2004   Resolution  #24  of  2009  

 Art.  38  &  63,  Law  8436  of  2005  

Limits  on  Fishing  Effort  and  Entry  to  the  Fishery    

Bahamas   Dominican  Republic  

Costa  Rica  

Is  catch  of  billfish  or  tuna  limited  in  any  way?  

 Yes(billfish)   Allowable  catch   Catch  and  Release  

 Yes(billfish)   Critical  habitat  protected   Catch  and  Release   Total  Allowable  catch  may  be  established  by  CODOPESCA  

 Yes   Not  allowed  to  block  natural  migration  pathways  or  intercept  them  with  specialized  devices   Area  Closures(tuna)   Catch  and  release  for  billfish  

Citation    Ch.  244  Subsidiary  Art.  10  

 Resolution  #24  of  2009  

Monitoring  Control  Compliance  and  Enforcement  Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

What  mechanisms  are  in  place  for  enforcement,  surveillance,  monitoring,  and  controlling  fishing  activities  to  ensure  compliance  with  fisheries  management  measures,  laws  and  regulations?  

 Yes   Department  of  Marine  Resources   Inspectors   Penalties  ranging  from  monetary  penalties  and  prison  time  

 Yes   CODOPESCA  with  help  of  police  authorities,  navy  and  civil  society   Fishing  and  Aquaculture  Inspectors  Service   Infractions  and  Sanctions  –  Monetary  penalty,  prison  time,  and  revocation  of  licenses  

 Yes   Mandatory  satellite  tracking  system  for  the  tuna  fishery  vessels  

Citation    Ch.  244  -­‐14    Art.  74  &  75,  Law  307  of  2004  

Interna)onal  Agreements  Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

Which  relevant  international  or  regional  agreements  is  the  state  a  party  to?  

 Western  Central  Atlantic  Fishery  Commission  (WECAFC)   Caribbean  Regional  Fisheries  mechanism  (CRFM)   United  Nations  Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea  (UNCLOS)  

 Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea   Convention  on  Biological  Diversity   CITES   Convention  on  Fishing  and  Conservation  of  Living  Resources  of  the  High  Seas   Ramsar  Convention  

 Convention  on  the  Law  of  the  Sea   Convention  on  Biological  Diversity   CITES   Convention  on  Fishing  and  Conservation  of  Living  Resources  of  the  High  Seas   Ramsar  Convention  

Citation    Food  and  Agriculture  Organization  of  the  United  Nations  Bahamas  Country  Profile  2009  

Recrea)onal  Fisheries  Bahamas   Dominican  

Republic  Costa  Rica  

Does  the  state  recognize  and  regulate  recreational  fishing?  To  what  extent?    

 Yes   Part.  10  Sports  fishing   Tournament  permits   Methods  of  fishing  

 Yes   Fishing  license  required   Protection  of  breeding  areas  for  promoting  sport  fishing  

 Yes   Entire  chapter  on  sport  fishing  

Citation    Ch.  244,  Part  10      Resolution  324  of  2009  

Current  Project  Status  What  has  been  accomplished  thus  far  

  Developed  the  framework    Research  and  application  of  framework  to:  

  Dominican  Republic;    Cuba;    The  Bahamas;    Jamaica;    Mexico;    The  British  Virgin  Islands;  

Some  questions  remain  blank:      Issues  /  Setbacks  

  Research  Limitations  (availability  of  information  on  the  web)    Access  to  legal  and  regulatory  sources  in  each  country    Time      Language  issues  

Future  Steps  for  the  Project   More  research  with  access  to  the  legal  information  systems  of  each  state  

 More  time  to  analyze  the  laws  and  regulations  as  well  as  the  legal  and  governmental  systems  

  Additional  research  (other  than  objective  legal  research)  to  gather  better  information  on  the  more  subjective  questions  in  the  framework:    Semi  structured  interviews    Surveys  

  Possible  Modifications  or  Adaptations  of  the  framework  

Ques)ons?