A total of 51 Ecuadorian tuna vessels are to stop their fishing activities in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) for two months, meeting the first period of life established by the Ecuadorian government.
The Vice Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries (Magap) set that the Ecuadorian vessels using seine and belonging to classes 4, 5, 6 should stop for two closure periods: from 29 July to 28 September 28, 2013, and from 18 November, 2013 to 18 January 18, 2014.
The main purpose of the ban on fishing in the eastern Pacific waters is to achieve tuna conservation.
The above mentioned boats are prohibited from fishing in those waters as recommended and indicated in resolution C-12-01 of the American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
For the four-class ships an exception has been set, since they will be able to perform only a 30 day fishing trip during the closure, provided they have an observer from the International Observer Programme onboard.
Deputy Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries Guillermo Moran explained that these conservation and resource management measures are taken with the support of international organizations.
Meanwhile, Molke Mendoza, Director of Fisheries Resources Control reported that for the second closure period 45 Ecuadorian vessels will be included.
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