Ahead of the next annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), taking place 11-18 November 2024, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is calling on members and cooperating non-members to prioritise the adoption of a new recommendation for tropical tuna management that includes stronger fish aggregating device (FAD) management and to expand the adoption of management procedures for more tuna stocks, especially western Atlantic skipjack.
For the fourth year in a row, ISSF is asking ICCAT to adopt a strengthened tropical tuna measure that maintains bigeye and yellowfin stocks at sustainable levels and improves the management of FADs.
ISSF said an updated measure should fully allocate the total allowable catch (TAC) between ICCAT members, especially for yellowfin tuna stocks. It also highlighted that since it came into effect in 2012, the Atlantic Ocean yellowfin tuna TAC has been exceeded every year but one. Additionally, the TAC is not allocated by member or gear, making it impossible to identify non-compliance.
A 2024 assessment estimated the stock to be close to the biomass and fishing mortality levels that support maximum sustainable yield (MSY), and projections at the current catch level indicate that the stock will become overfished. Stronger management measures are needed to reduce the yellowfin catch.
ICCAT must also maintain the current TAC for Mediterranean albacore, said ISSF, noting that a 2024 stock assessment of Mediterranean albacore resulted in different stock status outcomes, based on two differing data inputs. Projections made under either outcome indicate that the current TAC of 2,500 tonnes will allow the stock to continue to rebuild.
On FAD management, the Foundation explained that in recent years, discussions on allocation surrounding the tuna measure have put aside important actions for improved FAD management but that ICCAT must now introduce best practices. It said if the Commission fails to agree to a new tuna measure, and merely extends the current recommendation for another year, a standalone FAD measure that includes best practice items that must be adopted.
On expanding management procedures for more tuna stocks, ISSF wants the Commission to adopt a harvest strategy for western Atlantic skipjack as recommended by its Standing Committee Research and Statistics (SCRS). In the same vein, it is also seeking an agreement to multi-stock management objectives for bigeye, yellowfin, and eastern skipjack tuna stocks.
ISSF said that while ICCAT has made some progress in recent years toward science-based management, significant work remains to ensure healthy fisheries in the Atlantic — especially regarding improved tuna management measures and the expansion of management procedures.
By implementing the recommendations highlighted above, the Commission can take vital steps toward meeting its mandate to scientifically and sustainably manage its fisheries, it said.
