Landmark agreement for sustainable management of Atlantic tropical tunas

At the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting in Cyprus, the EU paved the way to an agreement for the sustainable management of tropical tunas. 

A breakthrough agreement 

This agreement includes a bigeye tuna Total Allowable Catch (TAC) increase, mainly to the benefit of developing coastal states. The fishing opportunities for the European fleet are also slightly improved. Furthermore, the agreement carves out a pathway for the mandatory use of biodegradable and non-entangling Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs).  

Another important element for the EU fleet is the reduction of the FAD fishery closure to 45 days, and the strengthening of the scientific work to inform future decisions on the appropriate length of the FAD closure. This creates a level playing field and will benefit the socio-economic situation of the EU fleet in the Atlantic.   

The EU also continued to lead towards science-based management measures with the adoption of a recommendation for a Management Strategy Evaluation for tropical tunas. This will allow ICCAT to develop a long-term science-based approach to managing bigeye, skipjack and yellowfin tuna populations, ensuring that these species are healthy and abundant.  

Improved management of swordfish and sharks 

To ensure sustainable swordfish stocks, ICCAT adopted a management procedure for North Atlantic swordfish, which will define a total allowable catch (TAC) for that species. In addition, the agreement on the allocation of catch limits ensures that catches align with the TAC, reflecting ICCAT’s commitment to sustainable management of the stocks under its remit. The new EU yearly catch limit represents an increase of 1,569 tonnes in comparison to the previous the current one. 

The EU also tabled several proposals aimed at protecting sharks and led the process to kick-off a blue shark Management Strategy Evaluation. 

Streamlined bluefin tuna management and benefits for small scale fisheries in the Gulf of Lion 

ICCAT adopted new measures for bluefin tuna allowing for more stringent control while enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. This will contribute to reduced administrative burden and more streamlined processes. New provisions, again proposed by EU, were adopted to the benefit of small-scale local fleets in the Gulf of Lion. 

For the first time, ICCAT has established a comprehensive framework for bluefin tuna aquaculture to ensure traceability, marking a new chapter in the sustainable development of this sector. 

Background  

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is the Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) responsible for the conservation of tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. Currently there are 52 contracting parties' delegations, including the EU representing the interests of the EU Member States.  

About RFMOs 

RFMOs make sure that fishing activities do not cause significant adverse impact on biodiversity and marine ecosystems.  

Countries with fishing interests in a given geographical area form RFMOs, which are also open to coastal states. Those RMFOs can also be accessed by countries whose fleets have been traditionally fishing in these areas or are interested in participating in these fisheries. 

RFMOs have the power to adopt a variety of rules to manage the fishery. They use management tools like catch limits (quotas), technical measures, spatial and/or temporal restrictions, and monitoring, control and surveillance activities to ensure compliance with the rules. RFMOs make decisions based on scientific advice provided by their respective scientific bodies and regularly review compliance by their members. 

Today, RFMOs cover the majority of the world’s seas. They can broadly be divided into RFMOs focusing only on the management of highly migratory fish stocks, notably tuna and tuna-like species (‘tuna-RFMOs’) and RFMOs that manage other fisheries resources (i.e. pelagic or demersal) in a more specific area. 

The EU, represented by the European Commission, plays an active role in 5 tuna-RFMOs and 13 non-tuna RFMOs. This makes the EU one of the most prominent actors in RFMOs worldwide. 

More information  

Regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) 

ICCAT