The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has voted to allow an extension of the conservation and management measures for tropical tuna fishing in the Philippines originally adopted in March of this year, according to a statement released by the Philippine government today.
Initially, the WCPFC approved the measures, to be in effect from October 2012 to 28 February 2013. Now, the extension means 36 fishing vessels will be able to keep fishing until February of 2015.
“If in the last meeting we were able to bring home the tuna; this year, the Philippines was able to keep the tuna home,” said Asis G. Perez, fisheries director.
According to the release, Philippine tuna production went down by at least 70,000 metric tons over the past three years due to the closure of tuna fishing by the WCPFC. Officials hope the extension will bring fishing back up to 2008 levels.
