The 12th annual meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) concluded on 2 February 2024 with a consensual agreement on a new allocation for Chilean jack mackerel.

Maule, Chile

Maule, Chile

The SPRFMO is an inter-governmental organisation aimed at the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources of the South Pacific Ocean and the preservation of the marine ecosystems in which those resources occur

The EU saw its quota share for Chilean jack mackerel increase, with a new catch limit set at 74,047 tonnes for 2024 – an increase of 22% from the previous year.

According to the European Commission (EC), the agreement on the Chilean jack mackerel allocation, valid for the next decade, provides a stable and scientifically backed framework for the fishing industry.

The EC said the “milestone decision” underscored the success of science-driven stock management, after the near-collapse of the stock at the beginning of the last decade.

SPRFMO members also reached consensus on several other crucial measures, including:

  • The tightening of transhipment rules
  • The gradual increase of observer coverage in squid fisheries (along with the development of electronic monitoring standards)
  • The decision to promote higher labour standards for crews on fishing vessels

The SPRFMO Convention applies to the high seas of the South Pacific. Its main commercial resources are jack mackerel and jumbo flying squid in the Southeast Pacific and, to a much lesser degree, deepsea species often associated with seamounts in the Southwest Pacific.

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