ecuador

Serious shortcomings exist in the mechanisms that Ecuador has put in place to ensure compliance with its international fishing obligations according the European Commission. The legal framework in place in the country is outdated and not in line with international and regional rules for the conservation and management of fishing resources, and law enforcement is hampered by this outdated legal framework. In addition, inefficient administrative procedures and a lenient attitude towards infringements means the sanctions regime is neither depriving the offenders from the benefits gained from IUU fishing, nor deterring it. Deficiencies in terms of control, notably over the activity of the tuna fishing and processing industries, undermine the reliability of the traceability system upon which the certification of the legality of the catches is based.

Ecuador has joined the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) as a non-Contracting Cooperating Party, the conservation body announced. As a result, Ecuador can now catch Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides), obtain registration and certification of origin, and export the tightly regulated fish to markets around the world. The species is often marketed as Chilean seabass, regardless of the country of origin. Patagonian toothfish is a threatened species, owing in large part to IUU fishing. It is a large fish and grows slowly, making it susceptible to overfishing in general, and IUU fishing greatly exacerbates the problem. Therefore, CCAMLR has taken responsibility for international regulation of Patagonian toothfish and requires countries to register exports in its Catch Documentation System (SDC).