MANTA, ECUADOR .- A modernized Antigua Convention (Antigua, Guatemala 1949) will take effect this year and with it new responsibilities for riverine countries members of the agency regarding the capture, preservation and management of highly migratory species.
Guillermo Compean Jimenez, director of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, IATTC, held talks with Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Ramon Martinez Espinel, representatives of the fishing industry, owners and leaders of guilds on the most important points of this international law.
“The convention which is 60 years old and is the equivalent of the constitution of the IATTC, was written when there was the Sea Convention and that there was little time fishing at sea. Now what has been made is transparent, making it more efficient and upgrade to new instruments of international fisheries, which includes handling the catch, the precautionary approach, ecosystem management, “said the expert of Mexican origin.
Compean said that these issues are not new or unknown to the members because most states also belong to the UNCLOS, the Agreement and the FAO High Seas, and practice the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, implement plans management of sharks, birds and other migratory species.
On the exclusive tuna issue, the Director of the IATTC fisheries said the Ecuadorian private sector and the national government has done some good work in implementing the management measures for the species. “Ecuador is one of the most reliable performers, but the best, in terms of respect for closures comply.
Meanwhile, the Undersecretary of Fisheries Resources MAGAP, Guillermo Morán Velásquez, said that Ecuador is part of the Antigua Convention and surely it will ratify its stake before September this year.
Moran said the administration fisheries, fishers and industry should be fully informed that from September this year new rules go into effect that will not only be for tuna, but also for other highly migratory species such as billfish, sharks, dorado and swordfish.
Let’s take care of our resources but also to the chain of fishermen, traders, processing plants and the jobs they generate migratory species, said Assistant Secretary.
According to the IATTC, Ecuador signed up their first commitment to the Antigua Convention on 14 April 2004 and so far 12 of the 16 countries have already ratified it.
