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50 Industry Notes//

be reviewing and possibly rescinding Jack mackerel fishery now and aquatic products at a lower price
some of the initiatives undertaken by MSC certified beginning in March.
his predecessor Susi Pudjiastuti. The
previous Minister was known, among As of 26th March, after an assessment Temporary Guidance
other things, for a ban on the use of trawl period of 15 months, the European Document for food outlets
and seine nets known locally as cantrang, South Pacific midwater otter trawl
and the sinking of foreign fishing vessels jack mackerel fishery joined 395 other USA - In April 2020, the USFDA
seized in Indonesian waters. fisheries in 36 countries that are certified issued a Guidance Document entitled
to the Marine Stewardship Council’s “Temporary Policy Regarding Nutrition
fishery standard. The certification is up Labeling of Standard Menu Items in
for review in March 2025. Chain Restaurants and Similar Retail
Food Establishments During the
The fishery includes three trawlers COVID-19 Public Health Emergency”. The
from Germany, Lithuania, and Poland Document is meant for chain restaurants
which operate in the Southeast Pacific
under South Pacific Regional Fisheries and similar retail food establishments
Management Organisation (SPRFMO) that sell standard menu items covered
management. The annual quota is under the menu labeling provisions
41 538 tonnes in 2020, which is 6 percent of section 403(q)(5)(H) of the Federal
of the total allowable catch (TAC). The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C
fish is mainly sent to Nigeria and Angola Act) to provide flexibility regarding these
Between 2014 and 2019, hundreds of foreign menu labeling requirements during the
vessels fishing illegally in Indonesian waters have where it is sold in smoked form.
been blown up. COVID-19 pandemic.
The ban on cantrang, which sweep MARKETING This regulation, under normal times,
down to the seabed in coastal areas, was requires restaurants and similar retail
enforced in 2015 to protect fish spawning food establishments that are part of
sites. As it was met with resistance Reciprocal exemptions from a chain with 20 or more locations,
from many local fishers, a grace period tariffs doing business under the same name,
was given till February 2020. The new and offering for sale substantially
Minister has said that he will have a China/USA - Nine seafood items have the same menu items to provide
dialogue with them before making any received special exclusions from tariffs nutrition information (including calorie
further decision on these nets, but placed by the US on goods imported declarations) for standard menu items
some local NGOs feel that a better way from China. The items which are mainly on menus and menu boards so that the
would be to strengthen the Ministry’s in frozen form include Alaskan sole, information is available to customers
Alaskan plaice, flounder, sole, slipper
monitoring of the use of unsustainable lobster, king crab, snow crab, Dungeness when they make their order selections.
gear and boost ongoing efforts to help crab, and meat from crabs other than
fishers still using cantrang to switch to king, snow, Dungeness, and swimming The Document however recognises that
more sustainable equipment. crab. Originally, the goods were subject as a result of the pandemic, there are
to 10% tariffs but the rate increased to some temporary changes in business
With regard to the seizure and 25% in May 2019 and now have been practices, such as dine-ins switching
destruction of foreign vessels fishing exempted. The exemptions were granted to a takeout or “ to-go” only format in
illegally in Indonesian waters, Mr on 31st January while other imported response to the COVID-19 restrictions
Prabowo has said he will consider uses seafood products remain subject to tariff which involves creating new or modified
for them, such as redistributing them to rates between 10% and 25%. online ordering portals and printed
local fishers. Critics such as the advocacy takeout or to-go menus for their stores.
group Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW) Meanwhile, China will offer tax Additionally, some chain restaurants and
Indonesia say that the softer approach exemption on US$300 million worth of similar retail food establishments may be
to foreign vessels will ultimately favour US seafood imports, which includes live experiencing temporary disruptions in
large-scale fishing companies over small crab and lobsters. Chinese companies the food supply chain which may impact
fishers, with the former being better able can apply for exemptions from tariffs availability of their standard menu items.
to buy the auctioned vessels. that would let them buy US seafood

INFOFISH International 3/2020 ● www.infofish.org