Abstract
Abstract The Korean tuna fishing fleet has a long history of participation in the tuna fisheries of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (wcpo), the largest tuna fisheries in the world. As one of the largest distant water fishing fleets operating in the wcpo, Korea has a strong interest in maintaining access to both eez s and the high seas, and ensuring sustainability of the region’s tuna stocks. The regulatory environment for tuna fisheries in the wcpo is complex and multi-layered, with regional, sub-regional and national legislation, regulation and policies all affecting tuna fishing vessels and operations. Management of tuna fisheries within Pacific Island eez s is increasingly being tightened, including through the introduction of zone-based management approaches, and Pacific Island countries are also advocating for improved management of tuna fishing in the high seas. While all four primary tuna species in the wcpo are currently considered healthy, catch rates and economic conditions in the southern and tropical longline fisheries are in decline and catch reductions will be necessary to improve catch rates and increase economic returns for longline vessels. Within this context, the Korean distant water fishing fleet will need to strengthen engagement and cooperation with Pacific island States in order to maintain their competitiveness.
Highlights
As one of the largest distant water fishing fleets operating in the wcpo, Korea has a strong interest in maintaining access to both eez s and the high seas, and ensuring sustainability of the region’s tuna stocks
The Korean fleet was comprised of longline vessels only, with purse seine vessels added to the Korean fleet in 1980.5 The number of vessels in the wcpo Korean fleet peaked in the 1970s, with over 250 active longline vessels catching a mix of bigeye, yellowfin and albacore.[6]
This paper provides an overview of the current status of tuna fisheries in the region, and the regional and national regulations that govern them in focused case studies exclusive economic zones
Summary
The tuna fisheries of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (wcpo) comprise the largest tuna fisheries in the world, with catches producing 54% of the global tuna catch in 2019 worth an estimated US$5.8 billion.[1] The Republic of Korea has been fishing within the wcpo since 1958 and remains one of the largest distant water fishing fleets in the region. 1 spc-ofp, (2020), Estimates of Annual Catches in the wcpfc Statistical Area, Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Scientific Committee, Sixteenth Regular Session, Online Meeting. In 2019, Korean vessels reported a total wcpo catch of 347,508 mt,[2] representing the highest total annual catch yet reported by Korea.[3] This equated to a total value of approximately US$666 million (Figure 1).
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