The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) has set reduced bluefin tuna quotas for 2009, 2010 and 2011.

The Canadian quota has been reduced from 546 metric tons in 2008, to 505 in 2009 and 485 in 2010, according to Ed Frenette, executive director of the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association (PEIFA).

P.E.I.’s share of that quota will probably not be allocated by Ottawa until May, Frenette said.

The Western Atlantic region-Canada, United States and Mexico-was reduced from 2,100 metric tons in 2008, to 1,900 in 2009 and 1,800 in 2010.

The Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean regions were reduced from 28,500 metric tons in 2008 to 22,000 in 2009, 19,900 in 2010 and 18,500 in 2011. The ICCAT report also called for stricter enforcement and a shorter season.

Environmental organizations such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Federation, however, declared that ICCAT’s measures were not stringent enough and that the quota reductions were not deep enough.

Responding to the ICCAT announcement Frenette said, “If the quota reductions and fishing plans in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean are properly enforced and adhered to, then those allocations are probably appropriate.”

He continued, “Given the need for accurate science on the western Atlantic population, slight reductions here on a temporary basis as a precautionary approach can be viewed as appropriate while we await confirmation of scientific analyses.”

As in past years, Frenette is hoping that P.E.I. will get what island fishermen see as a more equitable share of the Canadian quota.

“Traditionally, PEI with 48 percent of Canadian licenses receives only 30 percent of Canadian quota, Frenette said. “The PEIFA is in the process of holding harvester’s meetings to develop our position on regional quota distribution within Canada to be presented at spring meetings of ALPAC [Atlantic Large Pelagic Advisory Committee]. There are a number of issues and principles we want to develop that, for now, must remain confidential.”

He continued, “Second, in general terms, given the influence of the international NGOs [non-governmental organizations], the degree of overfishing in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and the hovering of CITES [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species] over the tuna fishery, we are pleased with the performance of the Canadian delegation and the final quota allocation.”

Frenette added, “The western Atlantic fared much better in terms of percentage reduction than did the EU states and negotiations between Canada, the U.S. and Mexico appear to have worked out well in distributing the western Atlantic quota between the three countries.”

And he concluded. “Finally, the health of the tuna fishery on this side of the Atlantic remains a question. Science appears somewhat divided in its opinion with some saying the major portion of our stock follows a path from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to spawn in the Gulf of Mexico, while others speak of substantial mixing between eastern and western Atlantic stocks. Fishermen here say that they haven’t seen the numbers, size and quality of bluefin in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since the early to mid-eighties. Recent landings off Cape Cod tend to reinforce that opinion. Regardless of which opinion is correct, there is no doubt the bluefin fishery must be conducted in a sustainable, conservationist manner adopting a precautionary approach to management of the resource by all involved. The giant bluefin tuna is a magnificent beast and we want to see them around forever.”