Progress made by Indian Ocean tuna fisheries

Its decision to ensure the long-term health of the region’s skipjack fishery with the adoption of crucial measures has been welcomed by the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF).

Adam Baske, director of policy and outreach for IPNLF, said: “These management agreements will contribute towards a sustainable future for the region’s coastal communities and these globally important tuna fisheries, for which the IOTC deserves enormous credit.”

On 26 May, the Maldives and 14 coastal countries led the adoption of a harvest control rule for skipjack tuna.

The news represents a big step forward for the long-term outlook for the fishery and the communities that depend on it.

This measure is not intended to restrict or reduce current fishing but instead is a precautionary measure that outlines pre-agreed steps that will be taken should the skipjack fishery become unsustainable in the future.

Mr Baske continued: “It was inspiring to see the IOTC coastal member states working closely together to ensure a positive future for their shared resource. In particular, the Maldives and Kenya took a lead role in progressing negotiations at this year’s meeting.”

In a meeting on Friday 27 May, the commission agreed on measures to reduce fishing effort and catches.

A combination of fishing cuts across major fishing gears was adopted as well as measures to reduce catches of juvenile yellowfin by limiting drifting fish aggregating devices. It placed restrictions on the use of supply vessels that assist purse seiners during fishing operations and by banning the use of lights to attract tuna.

The catch reductions that were adopted primarily target the gears that have the biggest impact on the marine environment, notably drifting gillnets and purse seiners fishing around dFADs.

It also attempts to balance the needs of developing coastal countries with the need for conservation, which is always a difficult trade-off.