Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission Denies Access to Costa Rican Shark Advocate PRETOMA
The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) announced yesterday that PRETOMA could no longer participate as an observing organization during the next IATTC annual meeting, to be held in the Canary Islands from June 13-24, 2005.

The denial stems from objections to PRETOMA’s attendance by the governments of El Salvador and Mexico. PRETOMA had originally received an invitation to the IATTC meeting at which shark finning and shark conservation in the eastern Pacific will be discussed.

The IATTC, established by international convention in 1950, is responsible for the conservation and management of fisheries for tunas and other species taken by fishing vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Given that the IATTC is the largest fisheries management organization for the eastern Pacific, it represents one of the few avenues for promoting responsible industrial fishing operations at a regional level. Many of the vessels regulated by the IATTC land shark fins at various ports along the Pacific coast of the Americas.

The issues of shark finning (hacking off the fins and discarding the body at sea), overfishing of sharks and decline of shark populations have become controversial issues on a global scale. Studies show up to a 90% decline in global shark populations since the introduction of industrial fishing 50 years ago.

PRETOMA, a grass roots organization, initiated a campaign against shark finning in its native Costa Rica three years ago, and now works on a regional effort against shark finning.

PRETOMA members participated in the United Nations Consultative Process of the Law of the Sea, introducing language urging all nations to end destructive fishery practices and stop shark finning.

In November of 2004, PRETOMA sponsored a resolution at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the world’s largest conservation body representing more than 140 countries, calling on all nations to end shark finning. Randall Arauz, President of PRETOMA, is a member of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and co-chair of the Central American Shark Specialist Group.

PRETOMA intended to participate in the IATTC’s annual meeting to sponsor a shark finning resolution, consistent with resolutions adopted by the IUCN World Conservation Congress, and by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), both of which call for a total ban on shark finning, call for the landing of shark carcasses with fins attached, or if not possible, for vessels to respect a 5% weight ratio between the fins and the carcasses.

“The IATTC needs to be open to democratic processes if it wants to be considered in the international arena as a Regional Fisheries Management Organization that has the capacity and will to efficiently address regional fisheries and marine conservation issues,” said Arauz. “At the very least, we call on the IATTC to adopt a resolution during the June meeting calling on all party members to declare a total ban shark finning, consistent with the resolutions adopted at the IUCN and ICCAT.”