US embassy cable - 05LIMA4925

UNCLAS LIMA 004925 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
NOAA FOR KBLANKENBEKER AND D STEPHAN 
OES FOR D WARNER-KRAMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, EFIS, SENV, PE, IATTC 
SUBJECT: PERU: DEMARCHE ON NEW REQUIREMENTS SWORDFISH AND 
TUNA IMPORTS 
 
REF: A. STATE 202817 
 
     B. LIMA 4910 
 
1. (U) SUMMARY:  Econoff delivered Reftel demarche in English 
and Spanish to the GOP Foreign Ministry and Fisheries section 
of the Production Ministry on November 5, and met with the 
GOP fisheries team on November 16.  Industry and government 
contacts contend that Peruvian vessels comply with IATTC 
documentation requirements for tuna exports.  Peruvian 
fishboats catch little tuna but Peruvian processors export 
frozen tuna bought from other nationals to the U.S.  Peru is 
improving its inspection, enforcement and reporting 
capability.  Fisheries Vice Ministry officials pledged to 
work diligently to ensure U.S. import requirements are met. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) Econoff delivered Reftel demarche to Vice Minister of 
Fisheries (Ministry of Production) Alfonso Miranda and Maria 
Elvira Velasquez, Counselor for Maritime Jurisdiction in the 
Ministry of Foreign Relations on Novemeber 5.  Velasquez 
requested that she meet with Econoff after discussing the 
Tuna and Swordfish demarche with appropriate government 
officials.  On November 17, Econoff met with Velasquez, as 
well as Jorge Vertiz, Director of Fisheries Production and 
Extraction in the Vice Ministry of Fisheries (Ministry of 
Production); Admiral Raul Ponce, Director of Enforcement in 
the Vice Ministry of Fisheries; and Liliana Gomez, Counselor 
for Maritime and Antarctic Issues in the Foreign Ministry. 
Econoff also met with Richard Innuritegui Director of 
National Fisheries Association on November 14; the 
Association's members include all processors and fishboat 
companies who fish commercially (legally), but not artisanal 
(small-scale subsistence) fishermen.  Econoff also showed 
meeting attendees documents from Reftel website. 
 
3. (U) Ponce and Vertiz asserted that Peruvian-flagged 
fishing boats are now complying with tuna documentation 
requirements of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission 
(IATTC).  Ponce said that there was one fishing vessel that 
they knew of catching tuna; Innuritegui echoed this 
assessment for his association.  Peruvian fish processors do 
freeze significant amounts of tuna caught by foreign-flagged 
vessels who deliver their catch in Peruvian waters; the 
frozen tuna is exported, much of it to the U.S.  Vertiz and 
Ponce both said that they were fairly certain that fish 
processors were complying with re-export certificate 
requirements, but they pledged to make certain in light of 
the demarche.  Innurritegui likewise said that he would get 
distribute the talking points and website information to the 
fish processors in his association. 
 
4.  (SBU) Enforcement chief Ponce related what Vice Minister 
of Fisheries told DCM and Econoff on October 19, that the 
Production Ministry has come a long way in improving 
environmental aspects of the fisheries industry.  Ponce said 
that the GOP has realized that illegal, unregulated and 
unreported (IUU) catch of all commercial species was costing 
Peru significant revenue, in addition to the deleterious 
conservation consequences.  The GOP now has an extensive 
system in place to inspect and regulate its fisheries. 
Ministry of Prduction officials verify the species and 
weights of catches delivered to Peruvian fish processors. 
After acknolweding a history of less than ideal oversight of 
the fishing industry, Ponce concluded that the Fisheries Vice 
Ministry is still catching up but is now aggressively 
exerting control. 
STRUBLE