The entire U.S. tuna fleet is at risk of losing its license for the new year, according to Transform Aqorau, the chief executive of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA).
By way of a vessel day scheme agreement, the U.S. tuna fleet owes USD 17 million (EUR 15.5 million) per quarter for the days it fishes in Pacific waters. However, payments for the first quarter of 2016 have been lacking, according to Aqorau and Radio New Zealand International.
The short payments stem from an internal problem, Aqorau told Radio New Zealand – nevertheless, the entire fleet could soon lose its license unless it pays what it owes by the end of December.
“What is happening is that there is a component of the US fleets that are in economic dire straits because they actually have older boats they have inefficient boats and their patterns of fishing is they land their fish in American Samoa but these are older boats therefore the problem with the US is an internal problem in that they are not able to afford the days that they asked the PNA to provide,” Aqorau said.
Aqorau continued: “The Pacific Island parties have said that in their most recent response to the US is that they signed an agreement with the United States government for a certain number of days to be given to the US and those days were actually demanded or requested by the United states and after making that commitment and after allocating with great difficulty being able to find those days. The US have now turned around and said they cannot pay.
“The situation as we stand as we approach the 31st of December a quarterly payment of 17 million there is going to be a shortfall because one element or component of the US fleet is not going to be able to pay their contribution to make up for the 17 million quarterly payment,” he concluded.
