VZCZCXRO8329
PP RUEHGH
DE RUEHBJ #0656 0720452
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130452Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BEIJING
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2862
RUEHGZ/AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU 0188
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 9687
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 9351
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0839
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 7184

UNCLAS BEIJING 000656 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM - JON HABJAN 
STATE FOR OES/OMC - DIEDRE WARNER-KRAMER 
NOAA/NMFS FOR REBECCA LENT 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIS SENV OTRA CH
SUBJECT: CHINESE COMMENTS ON NGOS'SWORDFISH PETITION 
 
REFTEL: A) STATE 17673 B) STATE 16255 
 
¶1.  (U) As requested in REFTELS, Post transmitted on February 23 the 
text of the letter from Assistant Administrator for Fisheries Jim 
Balsiger, inviting the Bureau of Fisheries at the Chinese Ministry 
of Agriculture to comment on a recent petition by two NGO groups 
concerning swordfish fisheries. 
 
¶2.  (U) On March 12, Mr. LIU Xiaobing, from the International 
Cooperation Office at the Bureau of Fisheries responded with the 
following written comments: 
 
BEGIN ACTUAL TEXT: 
 
Swordfish is an oceanic pelagic species, mostly caught by shallow 
longline fishing gear operating around islands, and also the bycatch 
species of deep longline operating in the high seas.  In addition, 
some recreational fishery also targeted or incidentally caught the 
fish. 
 
In fact, fishery data has shown that swordfish fishery could result 
in the mortality of sea turtle and other marine protected species. 
Most mortality of sea turtles may (be) attributed to shallow 
longline fishing.  But it should be noted that the situation is 
improving and sea turtle mortality is reducing due to conservation 
measures implemented: 
 
--Regional Fishery Management Organizations have adopted resolution 
concerning with sea turtle issues. 
 
--Technical measures such as circle hooks, dehooker equipment etc 
have been adopted by fishery step by step, consequently reducing the 
incidental catch of sea turtles. 
 
--Fishermen for swordfish are well informed and trained for 
conservation of sea turtles. 
 
According to scientific observer data, there are no interaction 
between swordfish fishery and marine mammals.  It is indicated that 
zero mortality of marine mammals appeared at swordfish fishery.  We 
believe that implementation of more mitigation measure of bycatch by 
fishery should be more effective to protect sea turtles and other 
protected species compared with trade banning. 
 
END TEXT 
 
¶3. (U) Post will forward a scanned image of the original paper by 
email to Dr. Rebecca Lent at NOAA/NMFS, the POC listed in REFTEL. 
 
¶4. (SBU) COMMENT:  Judging from the comments provided above, it is 
clear that the Bureau of Fisheries remains sensitive to the prospect 
of any ban on fish exports to the United States that is being 
proposed in the name of reducing bycatch of protected living marine 
resources (PLMRs).  With China having been identified in January 
2009 as an IUU fishing country under the Magnuson-Stevens Act and 
with the clock on the two-year consultation period before formal 
certification having begun, China will lose no opportunity to 
register its view that appropriate and sufficient measures to 
protect PLMRs are already being taken, and that China will continue 
to oppose measures it views to be potentially trade protectionist. 
END COMMENT 
 
WEINSTEIN