The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has released a position statement calling on the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) to take critical action at its 2025 annual meeting to improve tuna fisheries management in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The statement outlines a series of science-backed recommendations aimed at enhancing compliance, data collection, bycatch mitigation and sustainability measures.
A top priority is the robust implementation of IATTC’s revised compliance assessment process. ISSF urges the adoption of a clear hierarchy of infractions, performance metrics for conservation measures and more detailed reporting by member countries on how regulations are being enforced domestically.
ISSF also calls for careful adjustments to tropical tuna fishing rules. Scientific assessments show that a limited reduction in the purse seine fishery closure period – either by 7 to 10 days – could be safe if key controls like individual vessel limits and monitoring programs remain in place. The ISSF supports full integration of traditional and enhanced port sampling methods, as well as mandatory submission of vessel-specific catch and effort data from longline fleets.
Improved fish aggregating device (FAD) management is another focus, with recommendations for clearer ownership rules, standardised markings and a centralised FAD register to reduce environmental impacts and increase traceability.
The organisation is also pushing for expanded observer coverage – at least 20% initially on longline and small purse seine vessels – with a roadmap to 100% coverage using human or electronic systems.
Additional asks include stricter shark, seabird and turtle protection rules, stronger at-sea transshipment oversight and alignment of port inspection protocols with global best practices.
