| Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC January 30, 2008 Landmark Dolphin Agreement Reaches 10-Year MarkThe International Dolphin Conservation Program, an international pact to prevent dolphin deaths in tuna nets, has reached its 10th anniversary and is considered one of the most successful agreements in the world governing the conservation and management of living marine resources.
In 1998 the Program was adopted by the United States, the European Union and 11 other countries in response to concerns over the high number of dolphins killed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean by tuna fisheries. The Department of State, with support from other Government agencies, led the negotiating effort for the United States and provided the international leadership necessary to ensure the strongest possible agreement. Under this program, and its predecessor, the La Jolla Agreement, dolphin deaths in the fishery have decreased more than 99%. The goal of the agreement is to reach zero dolphin deaths in the fishery. Features that contribute to the agreement’s success include: Among the features of the agreement is the International Review Panel, in which representatives from the environmental community and the fishing industry participate along with government representatives to review potential violations and request investigation and action by the relevant flag state. In addition to the United States, parties to the agreement include Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, European Union, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Vanuatu and Venezuela. In recent years, the United States has had only a small number of vessels active in the Eastern Pacific Ocean tuna purse-seine fishery. As this 10th anniversary approaches, we commend all participants in the Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program that have contributed to the world-wide recognition of the Agreement as a benchmark for multilateral approaches to manage and conserve living marine resources and ocean ecosystems. In particular, we wish to recognize the vessel owners, operators and crew members for their dedicated efforts to release dolphins incidentally caught in fishing nets. The Agreement on the International Dolphin Conservation Program can be found at: http://www.iattc.org/IDCPENG.htm 2008/ 072 |
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