No Progress in Latest Tuna Treaty Talks

17238032

After another round of negotiations between the United States and Pacific Island Parties for a permanent Tuna Treaty, the two sides are nowhere close to coming to an agreement.

This treaty is very important to America Samoa because it governs access to nearby fishing grounds for purse seiners that fish for local canneries StarKist Samoa and Samoa Packing.

Under The  temporary agreement now in place which expires at the end of this year,  the US forced  the Pacific Island Parties to agree to a reduction in the $90 million per year license fees and a reduction in the number of fishing days covered in the agreement.

Mr. James Movick, Director General of the Forum Fisheries Agency, which is negotiating a 2017 tuna deal between Pacific Islands and the United States commented on the outcome of the latest round of negotiations held last week in Fiji on  Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat program.
Play Audio

Mr. Movick says Fisheries Ministers from Treaty member countries will ponder responses from the US and review the situation in a couple of weeks in Vanuatu.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,