Japan’s Fisheries Agency is preparing to introduce penalties for violations of planned restrictions on Pacific bluefin tuna fishing by local fishermen in 2018.
The Japan News reports that in response to international calls for stronger management of tuna stocks, the agency aims to enhance the effectiveness of tuna fishing controls by establishing a system for punishments such as fines and imprisonment for violators.
The decision was announced at a recent meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party.
In April, Japan will revise an ordinance to add bluefin tuna to the marine species covered by the country’s total allowable catch (TAC) system, which sets limits on annual catches based on scientific evaluations of marine resources.
The country plans to introduce the catch limits with penalties for large- and medium-scale offshore purse seine fishers of tuna in January 2018 and for coastal fishers in July the same year.
Fishers who defy an order to stop tuna fishing after exceeding their annual limit would face a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine of up to JPY 2 million (USD 17,806, EUR 16,806). The maximum punishment for failures to appropriately report tuna catch amounts will be JPY 300,000 (USD 2,671, EUR 2,521) in fines.
Currently, Japan is testing bluefin tuna catch limits without penalties on a voluntary basis.
