U.S. Reportedly Will Lift Embargo on Tuna From Mexico

Ending a long-standing irritant in U.S.-Mexico relations, diplomatic sources confirmed Tuesday that officials next week will announce an end to the six-year embargo on imports of Mexican tuna into the United States.

As part of the agreement, sources said, Mexico has agreed to voluntarily limit tuna shipments into the United States, a move that would provide some protection for U.S. fishermen already reeling from foreign competition and low prices for tuna in the international market.

The lifting of the embargo will be officially announced in the meeting in Washington next Wednesday between President Reagan and Mexican President Miguel de la Madrid, the sources said.

De la Madrid’s image has been eroded by a severe economic crisis that has resulted in declining living standards for most Mexicans. The lifting of the embargo is expected to boost him somewhat.

The possibility that the embargo may end was disclosed Monday by John Gavin, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, during a trip to San Diego. On Tuesday, Gavin said in a telephone interview that he was “hopeful” that the embargo would be ended, but he would not confirm that any final decision had been reached.

“We’ve had discussions, and I hope that the discussions will be fruitful,” said Gavin, who explained that he continued to work on the tuna negotiations as a State Department consultant after stepping down as ambassador last May.

However, diplomatic sources in Washington and Mexico City confirmed that an agreement for lifting the embargo has been reached.

The talks between Mexico and the United States stemmed from the “tuna wars,” as the fishing dispute between the two nations became known. The U.S. embargo, announced in July, 1980, was prompted by Mexico’s seizure of U.S. boats that had been fishing in the Pacific within a 200-mile offshore limit claimed by Mexico.

The United States does not recognize the 200-mile limit for purposes of tuna fishing. However, officials of Mexico and other Latin American nations claim exclusive rights to tuna caught within 200 miles of their shores.

Tuna fishermen who continue to fish within the 200-mile limit do so at risk of seizure.

Under the proposed agreement, sources said, Mexico is expected to voluntarily limit its export of tuna to the United States to an undisclosed amount. In recent years, Mexico has upgraded its tuna fleet and expanded its catch.

This year, a State Department official said, Mexico’s total tuna catch is expected to exceed 100,000 tons. Much of it is exported in an effort to generate much-needed foreign currency.

Before the embargo, Mexico regularly exported large amounts of tuna to the United States. More than $20 million worth of tuna was sold to the United States in 1979, according to State Department figures.

August Felando, president of the American Tunaboat Assn., said he hopes that the renewed imports of Mexican tuna will not present another problem for U.S. fishermen, who have already been battered by plunging tuna prices and overseas competition.

“It’s in the Mexicans’ interest not to flood the market,” Felando said.