October 24, 2018
A nationwide organization of coastal fishermen engaged in pole-and-line and longline fishing was formed on October 22. The organization is affiliated with the national union of coastal fishermen’s organizations (JCFU).
On this day, the newly-formed organization held its first convention in Tokyo.
JCFU Secretary General Nihira Akira said, “A channel for relaying the demands of pole-and-line fishermen and longliners to the Fisheries Agency was finally established,” emphasizing the significance of the unification of anglers and longliners in coastal fisheries.
A delegate from the Hokkaido local of the new coastal fishermen’s organization reported on a struggle against unfair catch limits imposed on pole-and-line and longline fisheries. In Hokkaido, the coastal catch for angling and longline fisheries has been strictly limited on the grounds that the catch for fixed-net fishery has exceeded the officially-set limits. The JCFU in Hokkaido has been waging a legal battle against the national and prefectural governments, seeking the withdrawal of the unfair limits.
The convention agreed on demands for the fisheries authority in regard to the total allowable catch (TAC) system-based caps on Pacific bluefin tuna which was introduced in July. The JCFU-affiliated organization demands that the TAC caps be revised so that young fishermen can continue to stay in coastal fisheries and that caps on tuna catches for pole-and-line and longline fisheries be set individually in order to avoid negative impacts from an increase in catches for fixed-net fishery. It also calls for establishing a drastic measure to compensate for suspension of tuna fishing pertaining to the introduction of the TAC caps.
The new organization on the following day handed over these demands to Fisheries Agency head Hase Shigeto.
Past related articles:
> Coastal fishermen protest against unfair bluefin tuna caps [June 26, 2018]
> Opposition force requests postponement of caps on bluefin catch [June 27, 2018]
On this day, the newly-formed organization held its first convention in Tokyo.
JCFU Secretary General Nihira Akira said, “A channel for relaying the demands of pole-and-line fishermen and longliners to the Fisheries Agency was finally established,” emphasizing the significance of the unification of anglers and longliners in coastal fisheries.
A delegate from the Hokkaido local of the new coastal fishermen’s organization reported on a struggle against unfair catch limits imposed on pole-and-line and longline fisheries. In Hokkaido, the coastal catch for angling and longline fisheries has been strictly limited on the grounds that the catch for fixed-net fishery has exceeded the officially-set limits. The JCFU in Hokkaido has been waging a legal battle against the national and prefectural governments, seeking the withdrawal of the unfair limits.
The convention agreed on demands for the fisheries authority in regard to the total allowable catch (TAC) system-based caps on Pacific bluefin tuna which was introduced in July. The JCFU-affiliated organization demands that the TAC caps be revised so that young fishermen can continue to stay in coastal fisheries and that caps on tuna catches for pole-and-line and longline fisheries be set individually in order to avoid negative impacts from an increase in catches for fixed-net fishery. It also calls for establishing a drastic measure to compensate for suspension of tuna fishing pertaining to the introduction of the TAC caps.
The new organization on the following day handed over these demands to Fisheries Agency head Hase Shigeto.
Past related articles:
> Coastal fishermen protest against unfair bluefin tuna caps [June 26, 2018]
> Opposition force requests postponement of caps on bluefin catch [June 27, 2018]
