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Thailand: INFOFISH tuna conference to discuss crucial industry issues |
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Thursday, 25 March 2010 00:00 |
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The INFOFISH Tuna 2010 conference in Bangkok, Thailand on 20-22 May this year will debate the changes that could potentially have a sweeping effect on the industry. A move by some European nations to put northern bluefin tuna under CITES List I, if successful, would result in a total trade ban of the species resulting in the collapse of the multi-billion dollar sashimi tuna trade. Even otherwise, many other developments are bound to affect the trade in high-valued tunas. ICCAT ‘s (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) and CCSBT’s (Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna) decision to reduce quotas for northern bluefin and southern bluefin tunas respectively and the proposed moratorium on bigeye tuna fishing in the western and central Pacific ocean will undoubtedly reduce sashimi tuna supplies and have a significant impact on the market.
Meanwhile stricter management measures are being mooted by the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO), the largest supplier of tuna to the global market. The ban on the deployment of FADs (fish aggregating device), fishing restrictions in some high sea areas and possible reduction in the number of fishing days could significantly affect the supply, and thus the price of tuna raw material for Asian canneries. The call by Pacific Island Countries (PIC), which provides more than 50% of global tuna landings, for a respectable return for their tuna resources, and the proposed creation of a “tuna cartel”, could significantly change the landscape of the global tuna industry. The above developments and the rapidly changing tuna business environment will be discussed by industry leaders, marketing and technical experts at TUNA 2010 Bangkok, 20-22 May, 2010. Speakers include representatives of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), NGOs and governmental policy makers. Chairpersons Christopher Lischewski (President and CEO of Bumble Bee), Henk Brus (Managing Director, Atuna) and Chanint Chalisarapong (Vice President, Sea Value, Thailand and Chairman, Tuna Processors’ Group, TFPA) will be joined by a host of distinguished speakers from industry including Eric Landheer, Head of NASDAQ, OMX Group Asia Pacific, who will discuss the challenges faced by the sector in the current economic scenario. Other speakers include Anthony Vuoso (Vice President, Tri Marine International); Amornphan Aramwattanond (Director, Sea value, Thailand); Don Binotto (President, Starkist, USA); Sam Grossman (Marumi Products, USA) ; Lorna Buchanan (Clover Leaf Seafood, Canada) and Adolfo Valsecchi (CEO, MW Brand, France).
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