福爾摩莎的鮪網－再見‧太平洋？

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太平洋鮪魚族群瀕臨滅絕
兩組織呼籲台灣政府及漁民守護海洋永續
2009/8/25，台北

國際環保組織綠色和平與台灣動物社會研究會，共同要求台灣政府採取有效措施監管台灣遠洋漁船，與全球各國一起致力減少50%的太平洋鮪魚捕撈量，讓鮪魚族群能恢復生態，以達永續漁業的目標。科學家警告，如果人類持續過度捕撈漁業資源，所有具經濟價值的魚類將在2048年消耗殆盡 。

兩組織並要求政府支持於「中西太平洋漁業委員會」(WCPFC)決議在太平洋海域關閉四個公海區域，以成立海洋保育區，共同保護太平洋面臨過度捕撈威脅的鮪魚族群。綠色和平代表及動物社會研究會成員，將於本週稍後拜訪漁業署及相關公會，表達上述訴求。

中西太平洋是全世界最大的鮪魚漁場，超過一半以上的鮪魚 (每年約250萬噸)，是從太平洋中捕撈獲得的 。光在2007年，來自菲律賓、日本、印尼、韓國、台灣等處的船隊，就已經捕撈了80%左右的太平洋鮪魚 。

由於非法捕魚問題嚴重，加上黑鮪、大目鮪與黃鰭鮪等多年來被過度捕撈，以至鮪魚以驚人的速度不斷減少；以台灣捕抓的黑鮪為例，不僅魚體重量減輕，魚獲數量更是逐年遞減。（見背景資料【表1、2】）。

綠色和平項目總監Stephen Campbell（高森林）表示：「如果我們再不積極行動，保護太平洋的海洋資源，我們的下一代就會面臨漁業資源嚴重枯竭的問題。在太平洋漁業扮演重要角色的台灣政府，必須與其他太平洋國家共同努力，減少50%的太平洋鮪魚捕撈量，並制定嚴格及有效的措施監管台灣漁船，打擊非法捕魚的行為。」

研究會指出，台灣鰹鮪漁業的總作業大、小漁船數有2,500餘艘 ，遍佈太平洋、印度洋及大西洋等三大洋海域。根據WCPFC 2008年數字，台灣漁船捕撈了約246,187公噸鮪魚，占太平洋總捕撈量的10分之1 。遠洋鮪魚業漁法主要為「延繩釣」及「圍網」，而台灣現有34艘大型鰹鮪圍網船隊 ，數量僅次於日本，位列全球第二大。如果台灣政府及產業不以實際作為支持國際呼籲減漁及設立海洋保育區的行動，海洋資源無法永續，台灣漁業也將受害。

根據台灣政府漁業署2007年統計，台灣鰹、鮪總生產量為413,998公噸，出口量為314,110公噸，若以生產量減出口量，台灣本島約消費99,888公噸，其中瀕危的黑鮪（台灣人俗稱「黑甕串」，也就是藍鰭鮪），99%的捕撈量都在台灣消耗掉，全年可達1,396公噸。若暫以黑鮪平均每尾250公斤計，估計每年約消費5,584尾（見背景資料【表1、2】）。

為持續監督太平洋海域的漁船捕撈活動，綠色和平船艦「希望號」（The Esperanza）今年一如既往，將出發到太平洋海域，以非暴力直接行動，監控非法和過度捕撈的漁船。若發現任何國籍漁船在這四個公海區域捕撈，「希望號」將會要求漁船離開海洋保育區，到該船執照核准的地方捕魚。2008年「希望號」亦曾於太平洋巡邏，當時紀錄了非法漁船於該水域捕魚及漁貨轉運的情況，並從正在作業的延繩釣漁船魚鉤上釋放被誤捕的瀕危物種。

綠色和平組織與台灣動物社會研究會呼籲台灣政府重視國際團體的保育訴求和行動，珍惜地球資源的永續發展。並呼籲漁業界共同行動，永續維護海洋生物生存與繁衍。

Tuna soon to be fished to extinction?
Call from Greenpeace and EAST for Sustainable Fisheries


Taipei, 25th August 2009 ── Greenpeace and local Taiwanese group Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan, today raised the alarm of overfishing in the Pacific. At a press conference, held in Taipei, they urged the Taiwanese government to act together with the global community to cut the Pacific tuna catch by 50%. Scientists warn that if current exploitation trends continue all commercial fish species could be wiped out by 2048 .

The two groups, at the joint press conference held in Taipei today, urged the government to support the Western and Central Pacific Fishery Commission (WCPFC) to close the 4 pockets of international waters in the Pacific Ocean as marine reserves in order to safeguard the sustainability of tuna stocks. Greenpeace and EAST will visit the Taiwanese government and the industry to communicate their demands.

The Western and Central Pacific is the biggest tuna fishing ground in the world. More than half of the tuna caught globally (almost 2.5 million ton per year) comes from the Pacific . In 2007, fleets from the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Taiwan accounted for around 80% of Pacific tuna caught .

Bluefin, bigeye and yellowfin tuna has been overfished for many years, with pirate fishing being a serious problem. The fishing industry is already suffering as the catch of bluefin tuna has dropped significantly over the last few years and average weight of the catch also dropped. (See Table 1, 2 in Backgrounder)

Greenpeace spokesperson Stephen Campbell says, "If we don’t take immediate action now, there will be no tuna left for future generations! As a key player in Pacific fisheries, Taiwan should work with other governments to cut the Pacific tuna catch by 50% including closure of the 4 high seas pockets, and enforce effective measures to regulate the Taiwanese fleet and stop pirate fishing.”

Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan pointed out that Taiwan has over 2,500 fishing vessels operating across the Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Atlantic for tuna fishing . The main tuna fishing methods are “longline” and “purse seine”. Taiwan has 34 purse seiners which is the world’s second biggest purse seine fleet after Japan . According to the latest figure released by the WCPCF, 246,187 ton of tuna are


caught by the Taiwanese fishing fleet in 2008, which accounts for 10% of the total tuna catch from the Pacific in that year .

According to the statistics from the Taiwanese Fisheries Agency, the total tuna production in 2007 was 413,998 ton, of which 314,110 were exported and 99,888 ton were consumed in Taiwan.

Taiwan’s tuna consumption is astonishing. Taiwan Tuna Association estimated that 35 kg of tuna are consumed by each Taiwanese every year . Blue fin tuna, one of the species about to become extinct, topped the consumption chart with 1,396 tons eaten by the Taiwanese each year, which is equivalent to a total of 5,584 tuna with an average weight of 250 kg .

As a global environmental organization, Greenpeace has focused on protecting the tuna stock from overfishing in the Pacific for many years. This year the Greenpeace ship “Esperanza” will again visit and patrol the Pacific region to monitor and take peaceful direct action against illegal vessels and overfishing. The Esperanza will urge the fishing vessels to leave the proposed marine reserve area and to fish in other parts of the ocean according to their license.

The Esperanza also patrolled the Pacific in 2008 and documented illegal vessels fishing and transshipping in the area. The activists also freed endangered marine species caught by the longliners.

“Greenpeace and EAST urge the Taiwan government to take our demands seriously and act together with the fisheries industry and protect our future sustainability.” concluded the Greenpeace and EAST spokesperson.