By Pita Ligaiula in Manila, Philippines
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is poised for a critical week in Manila this December. Tuna advocate Bubba Cook has expressed concerns that member countries continue to sidestep crucial issues surrounding monitoring and high-seas transshipment.
In an interview with PACNEWS, Cook, who serves as the Sharks Pacific Policy Director, noted minimal progress in electronic monitoring initiatives and questioned the likelihood of substantial action on high-seas transshipment—an issue that has become notably contentious within the Commission. He remarked, “I don’t see ‘concrete progress’ occurring at this meeting with respect to electronic monitoring/observer coverage.”
Despite this, Cook pointed to some positive indicators, such as the agreement on audit standards for Electronic Monitoring (EM) programs and a renewed push for leadership on the Electronic Reporting and Electronic Monitoring (EREM) Working Group. However, he emphasized that entrenched resistance remains a significant hurdle.
Cook warned that countries traditionally opposed to expanding observer coverage will likely persist in their opposition until technological advances and market demands render such measures essential for tuna sales globally. On the subject of high-seas transshipment, while he conveyed a sense of hope, he tempered it with a lack of confidence in achieving meaningful reforms during the meeting.
He criticized a proposal from Korea as insufficient, explaining, “The proposal from Korea is effectively a ‘heads we win, tails you lose’ proposal,” which essentially keeps the status quo intact while shifting monitoring responsibilities onto Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Cook indicated a growing divide between the interests of Asian distant-water fishing nations (ADWFN), who prefer minimal oversight for transshipment, and the urgent protective measures needed for regional sustainability.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Cook mentioned that Pacific Island states are nearing a breaking point, as evidenced by the Marshall Islands’ proposal to ban high-seas transshipment altogether—an initiative they initially proposed back in 2008.
He noted that the WCPFC’s consensus system often enables member nations to obstruct even modest reforms without any consequences. “The consensus process of the WCPFC allows the ADWFN to dig in their heels and simply oppose any meaningful improvements to transshipment monitoring and accountability,” he said.
As a potential remedy to the standstill, Cook suggested that forcing a vote on the matter might be necessary to hold ADWFN accountable for their resistance to reform. As the Manila meeting approaches, all eyes will be on the Commission to see if they will confront the pressing issues of high-seas accountability or continue to evade action.
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