Wednesday, February 6, 2013

POPA, Programa de Observação para as Pescas dos Açores


         The Azores Fisheries Observer Programme was funded in 1998, ensuring the absence of dolphin mortality or injury in tuna fishery. Since then, fishery and fishing products are certified by the Earth Island Institute, through the results presented by POPA. Besides that, tuna fishery is also certified as “Friend of the Sea” (www.friendofthesea.org) which means that it is extremely selective, doesn’t harm the surrounding environment and is quite sustainable. It became the first tuna fishery in the world achieving that certification.

Target species:


 Katsuwonus pelamis  / Bonito/ Gaiado  45cm-3Kg
 
Thunnus alalunga/ Voador   1.1m-25kg  (1.3m-40Kg)

  Thunnus obesus/ Patudo 1m-25Kg (2.4m-200Kg)
  
 Thunnus albacares/ Albacora/ Galha-à-ré  2m-200Kg

 Juvenis: 
 Thunnus albacares/ Galha-à-ré
  

 Thunnus obesus/ Patudo


  Thunnus thynnus thynnus/Rabilo2m-250Kg (2m-700Kg)

 
Some of the species used by fishermen as live bait for the tuna fishing:


 Scomber japonicus/ Cavala
 Trachurus picturatus/ Chicharro
       
Capros aper/ Peixe-pau

 Boops boops/ Boga
 Pagellus bogaraveo/ Carapau,Peixao,Goraz
 Macroramphosus scolopax/ Trombetei
   Sardina pilchardus/ Sardinha




The Dolphin Safe concept    http://www.horta.uac.pt/projectos/popa/index_PT.html 
          In the Eastern Tropical Pacific occurs an association between dolphins and yellow fin tunas: the fishes swim beneath the dolphins. During the 1950’s, tuna trawlers started to take advantage of this fact: they looked for dolphins at the surface and then, positioned the nets all around them, capturing every animal within that area. In consequence, this technique was responsible for a vast mortality of dolphins that reached 120000 individuals per year during the 1980’s. Those species became increasingly endangered, and several NGOs (eg: Earth Island Institute, USA) and consumer associations started to pressure the tuna industry and the government of the USA to change this reality. Those actions led to the “Dolphin safe” concept and logo which only applies to fisheries that do not harm or kill dolphins. Since that time, commercialization of non certified tuna is prohibited in the US. In order to monitor those fisheries, observervation programmes were initiated and through them it became possible to collect in situ data regarding interactions between cetaceans and fisheries as well as other important scientific records. From 1992 on, dolphin mortality started to decrease (it reached a maximum of 4000 individuals per year) which proved the efficiency of referred measures.


            In the late 1990’s, it became clear that tuna industry would be seriously penalized with the absence of a “Dolphin safe” certification which instigated new measures from the government and the fisheries sector. In order to achieve this certification, the Azores Fisheries Observer Programme was funded in 1998, ensuring the absence of dolphin mortality or injury in tuna fishery. Since then, fishery and fishing products are certified by the Earth Island Institute, through the results presented by POPA. Besides that, tuna fishery is also certified as “Friend of the Sea” (www.friendofthesea.org) which means that it is extremely selective, doesn’t harm the surrounding environment and is quite sustainable. It became the first tuna fishery in the world achieving that certification.
The Programme results from an agreement between Regional Administration, Earth Island Institute, the Tuna Canning Industry Association (Pão do Mar), the Fishing Boat Owners Association (APASA) and IMAR – Instituto do Mar - through the University of The Azores Center (IMAR-DOP/UAç), which carries out the programme. Until 2003 the Programme was supported by regional funds. Between 2003 and 2005 it became co-financed by the European Commission through the INTERREG IIIb Programme/ ORPAM project. Since then it has been exclusively supported by the regional government through the Regional Secretary of Fisheries.

Other institutions related to fisheries:

http://www.iccat.int/en/links.htm


·  CIESM: Commission Internationale pour l´Exploration Scientifique de la mer Méditerranée
·  FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization
·  GFCM: General Fisheries Commission of the Mediterranean
·  GLFC: Great Lakes Fishery Commission
·  ICES: International Council for the Exploration of the Seas
·  IPHC: International Pacific Halibut Commission
·  ISC: International Scientific Committee for tuna and tuna-like species in the North Pacific Ocean
·  IWC: International Whaling Commission
·  NAFO: Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
·  NAMMCO: North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission
·  NASCO: North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization
·  NEAFC: North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission
TUNA-ORG: A joint website for Tuna RFMOs
UNFSA Fund: A fund created under the UN Fish Stocks Agreement to provide assistance
ASFA access to LIFDC: Project to supply the ASFA database (free of charge) to low income food deficit countries
FIRMS: Fishery Resources Monitoring System
Tuna Regional Fishery Management Organizations
Fishery Research and Management Organizations (National and International)
Various Offices and Laboratories in Contracting Parties and Cooperating Entities
Fisheries Research/Assessment and Education

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