the offing

A deal in the offing

Before any tuna agreement can be finalised, there are thorny issues still to be resolved. The most important are fee levels and catch reporting requirements.

The islands nations have been reasonable on fees. But they do require a fair return for the harvesting of their resources and equality for all distant water fleets.

The ATA has consistently maintained its need for special consideration because of their unfamiliarity with local fishing conditions and their unique difficulties under US legislation.

However, other distant water fleets in the region have agreed to a fee structure and the islands do not see themselves as having to subsidise ATA operations through lower fees.

The ATA will also argue for the abolition of closed areas, with the islands insisting on their sovereign rights to establish and alter closed areas from time to time.

The regional register of foreign vessels may also be a stumbling block. The register is maintained by the Forum Fisheries Association at its Solomon Islands HQ. Unless vessels are registered and in good standing Pacific nations will not issue licences for their respective EEZs.

The ATA and the US government are apprehensive about the register. However, informal reports from the recent talks in Hawaii suggest that both sides are fairly happy with the progress made.

The islands are not driving a particularly hard bargain.

Their position is not at all dissimilar to the terms imposed by the US on distant water fleets operating in its own EEZ.