Author: svanouse

New ISSF Report Benchmarks Tuna RFMO Performance Against the U.N. FAO Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA)

Written by svanouse on March 18, 2021. Posted in News, Press Releases.

ISSF’s new report ISSF 2021-09: Port State Measures in Tuna RFMOs: Benchmarking RFMO Port State Measures Against the 2009 FAO PSMA and Identifying Gaps evaluates how well the port-State measures established by tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) follow an overarching international standard enacted to deter illegal, unreported, and unreported (IUU) fishing.

In 2009, the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA) — a binding international agreement — was adopted through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The PSMA was designed to give port States a minimum set of standards for Parties to apply when making decisions about foreign-flagged fishing vessels that want to enter or are already in their ports. PSMA principles, standards, and measures are intended to harmonize — across ports worldwide — procedures for notification and inspection, data reporting and exchange, and denial of port entry, for example, while also enhancing national, regional, and global cooperation.

Our new report outlines how tuna #RFMOs can align their port-State measures with the PSMA — an international agreement adopted through @FAO — to combat #illegal #fishing. Click To Tweet

“For more than a decade, the PSMA has set the standard for port States to detect and investigate IUU fishing, report on their inspections, and share data to prevent illegally caught fish from entering the seafood supply chain. But in order for this to work effectively globally, stronger and more consistent implementation is needed by all port States,” explains report author Holly Koehler, Vice President, Policy & Outreach, International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

“In the case of tuna, one of the most highly traded fisheries products that is caught in all oceans, the RFMOs responsible for tuna management have not incorporated those standards consistently or fully into their own measures — or, in the case of one RFMO, even adopted port State measures at all. Our report prioritizes the changes each RFMO should make to strengthen its measure by more closely aligning it with the PSMA — thereby improving fisheries management, flag State performance and international efforts to combat IUU.”

Through detailed analysis of the port-State measures adopted by CCSBT, IOTC, WCPFC and ICCAT, the report identifies not only key areas of difference among these RFMO measures but also each measure’s gaps with PSMA implementing principles and operating standards provisions. These gaps fall into three areas:

Operational gaps, including no requirements applicable to foreign-flagged vessels entering any non-designated port; no requirements for information to be submitted in advance for port entry; no denial of port entry or use provisions; no harmonized priorities for inspections of vessels in ports; and a lack of minimum inspection levels
Information gaps, including no explicit requirements for port States to report on the denial of port entry or use by a vessel; and no obligation to report on all port inspections, not just those where violations are found
Implementation gaps, including a lack of minimum standards for port inspections, training and/or minimum standards for those data to be included in inspection reports

IATTC is the only tuna RFMO that has not yet adopted a regional port State measure.

The report also outlines priorities for advocacy by stakeholders on improving port State measures for each of the tuna RFMOs.

RFMO Best Practices Reports and Snapshots

Port State Measures in Tuna RFMOs is the latest RFMO best-practices analysis report from ISSF. The other reports in the series, which is updated annually, are:

ISSF also publishes companion “snapshots,” which compare RFMO performance in adopting best practices. A snapshot based on Port State Measures in Tuna RFMOs is in preparation.

ISSF Statement on IOTC March 2021 Special Session

Written by svanouse on March 12, 2021. Posted in News, Press Releases, Statements.

ISSF and its stakeholders called for immediate action by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) at its Special Session held virtually from March 8-12 to conserve the region’s overfished yellowfin stock.

Regrettably, this IOTC Special Session failed in its one goal — to agree on a science-based and enforceable rebuilding plan to ensure the long-term sustainable management of the overfished yellowfin tuna stock. The IOTC Scientific Committee’s advice on what was needed to prevent further declines in this overfished stock went unheeded.

We are disappointed that, once again, the Parties to the IOTC could not agree on a measure for managing such a critical resource. Delaying action until the June 2021 Commission Meeting risks further stock declines at a time when some nations already have exceeded existing inadequate yellowfin catch limits — and other parties are exempted from catch limits altogether.

ISSF calls on IOTC Parties to work collaboratively between now and June to develop a robust, science-based and enforceable conservation measure to rebuild the Indian Ocean yellowfin stock in two generations.

ISSF recognizes that the impacts of COVID-19 continue to challenge RFMOs in conducting their meetings but finds no reason that needed management action cannot be agreed to virtually.

ISSF will continue to pursue all opportunities to help guide IOTC and all tuna RFMOs, member governments, industry, vessels, FIPs and NGOs on the complex issues we must navigate together for sustainable global tuna stocks and their ecosystems.

ISSF Calls for Much-Needed Reforms Toward an Effective Rebuilding Plan for Indian Ocean Yellowfin Tuna

Written by svanouse on March 1, 2021. Posted in News, Press Releases.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has published a position statement ahead of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s (IOTC) virtual March 8-12 Special Session. The Session was called at the conclusion of the IOTC 24^th Session Meeting in November 2020 in order to discuss a rebuilding plan for yellowfin tuna, which remains overfished in the region.

The impacts of COVID-19 continue to challenge regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) in conducting their meetings, but ISSF finds no reason that needed management action cannot be agreed to virtually.

ISSF has identified action items on #yellowfin #tuna protections for #IOTC to address at its March meeting. Click To Tweet

“The yellowfin stock status in the Indian Ocean fisheries will not improve absent a comprehensive and strictly enforced management regime,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “The yellowfin stock continues to be overfished, and the current catch limits have been exceeded by some nations. The Commission holds the responsibility for managing this critical resource. It should take immediate action at the Special Session to adopt a science-based and enforceable rebuilding plan to ensure the long-term sustainable management of this important tuna resource.”

Specifically, ISSF is calling on IOTC to:

Adopt without delay an effective rebuilding plan for yellowfin tuna that gives full effect to the advice of the IOTC Scientific Committee and achieves spawning stock biomass capable of producing MSY (SSBMSY) by 2027 with at least 50% probability — ensuring all gears and/or fleets harvesting yellowfin are taken into account to improve rebuilding potential of Resolution 19/01. If implemented effectively, this would imply a 15%-20% reduction from the 2017 yellowfin catch levels. IOTC must also address over-catches in contravention of Resolution 19/01.
Ensure Contracting Party and Cooperating Non-Contracting Party (CPC) compliance with the rebuilding plan through the IOTC Compliance Committee.
Urgently monitor and manage catches of skipjack to ensure catches in 2021 do not exceed the limit set by the adopted Harvest Control Rule in Resolution 16/02.

Read the full IOTC Position Statement on the ISSF website.

ISSF Report: 16 Tuna Stocks Not Meeting Criteria for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Sustainability Standard

Written by svanouse on February 24, 2021. Posted in News, Press Releases.

Independent fisheries scientists in An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria — a February 2021 report commissioned by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) — found that seven out of 23 major commercial tuna stocks worldwide are successfully avoiding overfishing when measured against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard and maintaining target stock biomass levels: North Atlantic albacore, South Atlantic albacore, Eastern Atlantic bluefin, Western Pacific skipjack, Eastern Pacific yellowfin, South Pacific albacore and Indian Ocean skipjack. These seven stocks earned a passing score (two of them without conditions) for the MSC Fisheries Standard on its Principle 1: “Sustainable Fish Stocks.” Under Principle 3: “Effective Management,” most tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) scored well.

Seven of 23 major commercial #tuna stocks worldwide are successfully avoiding #overfishing when measured against the Marine Stewardship Council (#MSC) Fisheries Standard. Click To Tweet

MSC is an independent, international, non-profit organization that oversees a program to assess global wild-capture fisheries and certify them as “sustainable” if they meet its Fisheries Standard criteria. In the March 2020 edition of the report, four stocks passed Principle 1, indicating a slight improvement explained by the new stock assessments conducted in 2020, as well as the good scores of one of the bluefin stocks newly incorporated in this version. Principle 3 evaluations remained unchanged for the most part.

The report attributes 16 other tuna stocks’ inability to pass MSC Principle 1 to poor stock status, the lack of well-defined harvest control rules (HCRs), and/or the lack of effective tools to control harvest. A stock will pass if its overall score is 80 or above, and no single score is less than 60.

Notable Report Findings

An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria was independently authored by Paul A. H. Medley, Jo Gascoigne, and Giuseppe Scarcella. This is the first time the report evaluates the four bluefin stocks (Western Atlantic bluefin, Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin, Pacific bluefin and Southern bluefin) under Principle 1 and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) under Principle 3. One of the four bluefin stocks (Eastern Atlantic) received a P1 overall passing score.

Most changes in the evaluation of other tuna stocks are due to new tuna stock assessments conducted by RFMOs in 2020 and how those stock assessments affect HCRs (e.g., providing evidence that management controls are effective in limiting fishing mortality).

About the Report

An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria takes a consistent, comprehensive approach to scoring tuna stocks based on certain components of the MSC standard. The report — updated regularly since it was first published in 2013, and organized by individual tuna stock and tuna RFMO — is designed to:

Provide a basis for comparing between stock scores and tuna RFMO scores as assessed by the same experts
Become a useful source document for future tuna certifications or in the establishment of tuna Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)
Prioritize ISSF projects and advocacy efforts against initiatives that will improve low performance indicator scores

The scores in the report focus on stock status (MSC Principle 1) and the international management aspects relevant to RFMOs (part of MSC Principle 3) and are based on publicly available fishery and RFMO data. Each of these Principles is evaluated in relationship to Performance Indicators (PIs) within each Principle. The Evaluation report also includes detailed remarks on each stock, evaluations of the five RFMOs, and comprehensive reference citations.

MSC Principle 1

The MSC Principle 1 states: “A fishery must be conducted in a manner that does not lead to overfishing or depletion of the exploited populations and, for those populations that are depleted, the fishery must be conducted in a manner that demonstrably leads to their recovery.”

Of the 23 tropical and temperate tuna stocks, 7 achieved a passing score for Principle 1, meaning its overall score is 80 or above, and no single score is less than 60. Failure was due to poor status of the stock, the lack of well-defined harvest control rules in place and/or the lack of effective tools to control harvest. Three of the 23 stocks have fully implemented well-defined harvest control rules, and there has been progress towards this aim by all RFMOs. However, with the exception of CCSBT, not all RFMOs have made progress toward this aim for all tuna stocks under their management. Slow progress — exacerbated in some cases by the Covid-19 pandemic — and failure to implement controls before rebuilding is required leads to a stock’s failing to meet minimum requirements on harvest control rules.

Regarding stocks receiving passing scores:

Among nine tuna stocks in the Atlantic Ocean, three received an overall principle-level passing score: Northern albacore, Southern albacore and Eastern bluefin (the only bluefin stock to receive a passing score).
Among nine tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean, three received overall principle-level passing scores: Western skipjack, Southern albacore and Eastern yellowfin.
Among five stocks in the Indian Ocean, one received an overall principle-level passing score: skipjack.

Regarding stocks receiving failing scores:

In the Atlantic, yellowfin, bigeye, Western skipjack, Eastern skipjack, Western bluefin and Mediterranean albacore all received principle-level failing scores.
In the Pacific, six stocks received overall principle-level failing scores: Western yellowfin, Western bigeye, Eastern bigeye, Eastern skipjack, Northern albacore and Pacific bluefin.
In the Indian Ocean, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore all received overall principle-level failing scores.
Southern bluefin tuna also received an overall P1 failing score.

MSC Principle 3

The MSC Principle 3 states: “The fishery is subject to an effective management system that respects local, national and international laws and standards and incorporates institutional and operational frameworks that require use of the resource to be responsible and sustainable.”

One tuna RFMO — the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) — received unconditional passing scores for all seven performance indicators under Principle 3. This is the first year that the CCSBT was included in the analysis, and that RFMO did not receive an unconditional passing score. The other four tuna RFMOs received overall principle-level passing scores from the authors.

While the report focuses on tuna stock status and sustainability as well as on RFMO policies, it does not address national or bilateral management systems, gear- or fleet-specific ecosystem impacts, or specific fisheries’ ecosystems — all of which are also considered within the MSC assessment methodology.

Since 2011, ISSF has been an active stakeholder in MSC tuna fishery assessments and certifications. ISSF’s strategic objective is to develop and implement verifiable, science-based practices, commitments and international management measures to help all tuna fisheries become capable of meeting the MSC certification standard without conditions.

All Hands on Deck for Threatened Manta and Devil Rays

Written by svanouse on February 24, 2021. Posted in Blogs, News.

Mobula rays (manta and devil rays) are some of the ocean’s slowest-growing and most vulnerable species, and are facing global pressure from multiple threats, including bycatch in fisheries. However, there is hope for these charismatic giants: preliminary evidence suggests that the methods of capturing and handling Mobula rays in tuna fisheries varies widely, and that minor changes in operational practices could lead to major improvements for their survival. And by working together, conservation scientists, fisheries managers, and tuna fishers can make huge strides for these threatened species.

We’re taking a multi-pronged approach to developing Mobula bycatch solutions in Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (ETPO) purse seine fisheries with skipper workshops, fisher surveys, onboard educational materials, and pilot bycatch mitigation technology development. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic waylaid some of our planned research activities. We had intended to conduct workshops in Manta, Ecuador, in January 2021, but instead pivoted to an online format. On the upside, we were able to reach more than 70 tuna vessel owners, skippers, crew, and other stakeholders with the help of collaborators TUNACONS, a group of tuna fishing firms based in Ecuador. The meeting was an opportunity to communicate our research goals, methods, and preliminary findings with tuna fisheries stakeholders and fishers.

We have so far collected more than 25 surveys with tuna captains, crew members, chief engineers, observers, and vessel owners. The goal of these surveys is to understand perceptions of Mobula ray bycatch, identify potential feasible solutions to mitigate bycatch, and to involve fishers and observers in the production of bycatch mitigation solutions. As a small incentive to complete the survey, we have worked with an artist to design and distribute t-shirts displaying the five Mobula species found in the ETPO. These surveys have already provided valuable information about the feasibility of bycatch mitigation strategies for Mobulas. For instance, preliminary results suggest that fishers and captains have ideas for minor operational changes to reduce mobula ray bycatch mortality, including keeping a modified grid or “manta stretcher” on board to quickly release animals, installing a set of small doors in the vessel side to help with heavy individuals, and employing divers to release the rays from the net.

Currently, our team is gathering these ideas, and the next step will be to put them into action with a pilot project aboard a small number of working fishing vessels. It remains unclear, however, exactly which of these methods will result in the best result—in other words, which alteration will allow tuna vessels to avoid Mobula rays or reduce the likelihood that they are fatally injured or killed when they are caught in the net. With this pilot project, we will test the efficacy of these ideas using satellite tags to gauge whether they result in lower chances of mortality after the animal is released.

Additionally, we designed and began distribution for a poster to aid with onboard identification of Mobula ray species (which can be very similar in appearance and difficult to tell apart), as well as to help clarify and emphasize proper handling techniques. The poster, designed by Julie Johnson at Life Science Studios, includes identification details, a map of tuna purse seine bycatch of Mobula rays in the ETPO, a comparison of Mobulas’ life history characteristics to that of tuna and dolphins, and an explanation of the ongoing research to address and reduce this bycatch. We think of it as a one-stop shop for tuna vessels and Mobula rays and are distributing it to tuna purse seine captains for them to hang in the cabin onboard tuna vessels.

With the combination of these approaches, we hope to deliver a bycatch solution that is both feasible and effective for stakeholders in the tuna fishery, but also impactful for reducing bycatch mortality for these iconic and highly vulnerable species.

This work is part of a collaboration between UC Santa Cruz, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, The Manta Trust, Mobula Conservation Project, the Inter-American Tuna Commission, TUNACONS, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and tuna skippers, crew, and observers, and has additionally been aided by technical expertise from AZTI. We are incredibly grateful for the support of these collaborators and stakeholders.

If you have questions about this work or would like to participate in this study, please contact Melissa Cronin at [email protected].

Doctoral student Melissa Cronin of the University of California, Santa Cruz, is the Grand Prize winner in ISSF’s International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Seafood Sustainability Contest. She won for her contest entry, “Incentivizing Collaborative Release to Reduce Elasmobranch Bycatch Mortality,” which proposed handling-and-release methods that purse-seine vessel skippers and crew can use to reduce the mortality of manta rays and devil rays incidentally caught during tuna fishing. Ms. Cronin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Conservation Action Lab at UC Santa Cruz studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Electronic Monitoring in Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries

Written by svanouse on February 9, 2021. Posted in Blogs, News.

A new report, “Minimum standards for designing and implementing Electronic Monitoring systems in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries,” co-authored by scientists from ISSF, AZTI and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), was recently presented to the IOTC Scientific Committee as an important step in accelerating the use of electronic monitoring systems across Indian Ocean tuna fisheries. The paper seeks to help electronic monitoring systems (EMS) “be fully accepted as a data collection mechanism that provides independent observations of a scientific nature,” said report co-author Fabio Fiorellato, IOTC Data Coordinator.

Electronic monitoring (EM) through the use of cameras and other sensors is a proven technology that has been increasingly employed for various purposes on fishing vessels, primarily in industrial fleets. Electronic monitoring systems (EMS) include equipment that tracks a vessel’s position and activity, together with cameras that record key aspects of the fishing operations.

“As concern is increasing over exploitation of fish stocks, we should be increasingly turning to novel technologies to improve our scientific data collection. EMS provides just such an avenue for advancement,” commented Paul de Bruyn, Science Manager, IOTC, in response to the report publication. “EMS has proven to be an incredibly effective way to supplement human observers — to increase the coverage and sampling required to obtain scientific information in order to provide better management advice for target and bycatch species in fisheries.”

The paper outlines minimum requirements for a standard EM system in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries, addressing elements such as technical equipment, data storage and autonomy, hard drive chain of custody, and office observer training and qualifications. Photographs and diagrams of electronic monitoring systems and equipment on purse seine, longline, and pole-and-line vessels illustrate the report. “EMS requirements change sensibly with gear and vessel type, in particular for what concerns the configuration of imaging devices,” said co-author Fabio Fiorellato, IOTC Data Coordinator.

The paper also evaluates EMS’ capabilities to collect the IOTC regional observer scheme (ROS) minimum standards data fields in line with the IOTC’s latest requirements, “because EM equipment should be tailored to each vessel based on performance to meet program objectives,” as lead author Hilario Murua from ISSF emphasized.

With the COVID pandemic forcing tuna RFMOs to suspend observer programs, the implementation of electronic monitoring systems across all tuna fisheries is especially critical today both for scientific and compliance purposes. “EM minimum standards depend on the objective of monitoring; scientific versus compliance purposes,” said Gerard Domingue, IOTC Compliance Manager.

“The need for human observers will continue in the future,” commented de Bruyn, “but EMS is a fantastic way to increase or supplement observation coverage on large vessels while providing an option for having coverage on small vessels for which the deployment of human observers is not feasible.”

Read the report

RFMOs Must Rise to the Challenge of Improving Fisheries Management During COVID-19

Written by svanouse on January 28, 2021. Posted in Blogs, News.

COVID-19 blindsided everyone in 2020. Yet crisis can galvanize people and institutions to rise to meet challenges and be their “best selves.” In important ways, the global catastrophe of COVID-19 has indeed spurred information-sharing, problem-solving, and other essential collaboration across borders and oceans.

In that spirit, we had hoped tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) would have met their continuing fisheries-management responsibilities last year with even more urgency and commitment.

Undeniably, the pandemic complicated RFMOs’ already demanding conservation work. In the disruption, through virtual discussions, they thankfully were able to reach some necessary decisions — and also to acknowledge one “silver-lining” opportunity in particular. We highlight those outcomes here.

But for the most part, RFMOs set a too-low bar — and treaded water. This year, status quo simply will not do. Here’s why we think so.

IATTC Agrees to Extend 2020 Measures

One of 2020’s more dramatic RFMO moments was the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) failure, at its annual meeting, to agree on 2021 fishing effort limits, or closures and catch limits, as well as limits on fish aggregating device (FAD) deployments.

The negative response from stakeholders was swift and powerful, pressuring the Commission to hold an emergency meeting in December, at which IATTC ultimately agreed to extend important measures from last year into 2021.

While maintaining the status quo is hardly a victory, the extension does demonstrate the power of a unified outcry to impel RFMOs to fulfill their mandates. That’s something we’ll keep in mind this year as we continue our collaborative outreach to call for nimbler progress at IATTC and other RFMOs.

The RFMO “ecosystem” works best when united cross-sector stakeholders hold fisheries management bodies accountable.

IOTC Schedules March Meeting on Yellowfin Conservation

Unlike its peers in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) did agree at its annual meeting to maintain the status quo, and extended its existing conservation measure for yellowfin tuna.

While this “business-as-usual” approach is understandable given the strange year that was 2020, it meant that the Commission avoided tackling much-needed reforms to ensure an effective rebuilding plan for vulnerable yellowfin tuna stocks. Instead, the Commission scheduled a March 2021 meeting on the matter.

In response, our colleagues in the conservation community, NGOs, processors and other industry stakeholders are mobilizing now to increase the likelihood that IOTC holds a productive meeting — one that results in decisions for yellowfin tuna based on the best scientific advice.

Pandemic Forces RFMOs to Suspend Observer Programs

Across many tuna RFMO regions last year, the pandemic forced fisheries managers to curtail or even suspend human observer programs on fishing and carrier vessels.

These moratoriums, while prudent, eliminated a depended-upon, objective source of fishing data that had been routinely flowing to RFMOs and governments. The resulting data gap has significantly hampered their ability to more fully monitor, assess, and oversee fishing activities.

RFMOs have not only an historic opportunity to address that gap but also the means to overcome it — in 2021 and beyond: They need to accelerate the adoption of electronic monitoring and reporting (EM/ER) technology for use in their tuna fisheries.

In fact, RFMOs’ will and skill to implement essential, comprehensive EM/ER programs could be considered a revealing gauge of their overall ability to meet present-day challenges as well as manage fisheries sustainably for the long term.

But Wait, There’s More: This Year’s Additional Priorities

Now that we’ve accepted virtual meetings and the lack of in-person negotiation as the new norm, ISSF is reinforcing high-priority asks for fisheries managers in 2021.

In addition to advocating science-based tuna management measures and EM/ER implementation, ISSF urges tuna RFMOs to make substantive progress on these other pressing issues:

Establishing science-based FAD management measures — advancing the implementation of non-entangling designs made with biodegradable materials, strengthening compliance with existing FAD data submission requirements, requiring the provision of FAD position data, and adopting FAD marking guidelines
Improving monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) tools, such as regional observer programs and centralized vessel monitoring systems (VMS)
Developing robust harvest strategies

Shared Commitment to Move Forward

The challenges of 2020 have hardly eased just because it’s a new year. But RFMOs, tuna managers, scientists, and other stakeholders begin 2021 with almost one year of virtual information-sharing and decision-making experience under our belts. We can meet virtually without settling for minimum action — and stalling sustainability progress.

In 2021, RFMOs must do better. We trust they recognize that — and will.

Tuna Fisheries Management in Turbulent 2020 – The Good and the Bad

Written by svanouse on December 17, 2020. Posted in Blogs, News.

Dec. 22, 2020: See an update about IATTC’s Dec. 22 emergency meeting.

This year has tested all of us, including decision-makers at the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) that manage commercial tuna stocks. All tuna RFMOs were forced to hold their annual meetings virtually or by correspondence, while some important meetings were canceled altogether. Working and negotiating in a virtual environment was a big adjustment for international bodies like RFMOs, and it stymied progress in 2020.

In the face of these challenges, ISSF and its stakeholders made considered appeals to RFMOs — urging needed progress on tuna conservation, fish aggregating device (FAD) management, harvest strategies, and electronic monitoring (EM).

As I reflect on 2020, I do see some improvements in elements that maintain the conservation and management framework of global tuna stocks and their ecosystems. And that includes setting certain management work in motion for 2021. But I also see failures — missteps that could have been avoided with serious collaboration even during this unexpectedly difficult year.

Points of Progress: Tuna Conservation and Management, FADs, and Electronic Monitoring

For all four RFMOs, preserving their tuna stock management measures due to expire in 2020 was paramount. ISSF and its stakeholders promoted this as an “at minimum” outcome as soon as we knew that RFMOs would not meet in person. All RFMOs had measures that needed to be extended into 2021 to ensure the uninterrupted management of global tuna resources.

It’s worth applauding the three RFMOs that met this minimum bar:

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) extended its resolution on yellowfin stock rebuilding and agreed to hold a special meeting in March 2021 to consider a new rebuilding plan that implements the scientific advice. IOTC also implemented the harvest control rule for skipjack tuna, setting an annual catch limit for 2021-2023.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) — whose decision-making process by correspondence is still underway — is on track to extend tropical tuna and northern albacore recommendations into 2021. ICCAT is also planning a series of intersessional meetings in 2021, where catch-and-effort limits, reporting and monitoring, and total allowable catch (TAC) allocation will be discussed.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) extended its conservation measure for tropical tunas through February 2022 and agreed on a detailed process of intersessional work in 2021 for developing a successor measure.

Regrettably, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) did not agree to extend its existing tuna measure at its December virtual meeting, leaving its yellowfin, bigeye, and skipjack stocks unmanaged as of 1 January 2021 — a disastrous outcome for sustainable tuna fisheries in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Fortunately, as of this writing, IATTC has scheduled an emergency meeting for December 22. ISSF continues to implore all IATTC parties to swiftly reverse this misstep.

All RFMOs took steps on FAD management and EM, ensuring these issues will be advanced in 2021 and accelerating previously sluggish work:

The IOTC Scientific Committee recommended the creation of an ad-hoc working group on EM in 2021. And it recommended allowing “raw” FAD data — reported per IOTC’s FAD limits resolution — to be made available for scientific purposes. Lastly, the IOTC FAD Working Group was reactivated and will meet next year.
ICCAT has scheduled intersessional meetings for 2021 to advance work on EM, observer programs, and FAD management.
WCPFC confirmed its FAD Working Group will continue in 2021, with a focus on revising non-entangling and biodegradable FAD guidelines.
And IATTC agreed to hold a 2021 workshop on the objectives, scope, minimum standards and structure for an EM program and scheduled an Ad Hoc Working Group meeting on FADs in 2021.

Missed Opportunities: Assessing Compliance and Harvest Strategies

Ensuring that RFMO members comply with RFMO measures is fundamental to RFMO performance. ISSF consistently advises RFMOs to strengthen their compliance assessment processes in line with best practices. Yet robust assessments of RFMO member compliance were another miss this year:

In IOTC, data showed that the catch limits in the yellowfin tuna measure were exceeded by members, undermining the effectiveness of the already inadequate interim yellowfin tuna rebuilding plan. This compliance failing was not addressed.
Despite weak compliance with FAD data provision requirements in IATTC — during 2020, the Commission reported receiving just 58% of the required FAD data — the IATTC compliance committee did not even meet virtually, and a planned review of FAD data reporting requirements did not happen.

Harvest strategies provide pre-agreed rules for managing fisheries resources and acting on stock status changes, and they’re essential for sustainable fisheries management. It’s noteworthy that all tuna RFMOs progressed their technical work on developing harvest strategies this year.

But it’s concerning that WCPFC once again did not hold or agree to hold a manager-scientist workshop. Such workshops in place at the other tuna RFMOs are critical in giving managers and scientists the know-how to develop robust harvest strategies.

ISSF Remains Committed to Work Collaboratively with RFMOs

In 2021, virtual meetings are likely to be the norm for at least part of the year, and RFMOs have now had many months year to learn how to operate in this challenging environment. RFMOs cannot use the virtual format of their meetings as an excuse for inaction or backsliding on critical measures.

Regardless of the meeting format, ISSF will pursue all opportunities to help guide RFMOs, member governments, industry, vessels, FIPs and NGOs on the complex issues they must navigate for sustainable global tuna stocks and their ecosystems.

87% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels, While 10% Require Stronger Management

Written by svanouse on December 9, 2020. Posted in News, Press Releases.

Of the total commercial tuna catch worldwide, 87% came from stocks at “healthy” levels of abundance, according to the newest International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. In addition, 10% of the total tuna catch came from overfished stocks and 3% from stocks at an intermediate level of abundance.

The previous version of this report was published by ISSF in March 2020. This updated report reflects results of tuna RFMO meetings through October 2020, and the next version will include results of RFMO meetings that have taken place more recently or are taking place now.

Several tuna stocks worldwide are considered overfished and/or subject to overfishing:

The Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Pacific bluefin tuna stocks are currently overfished and subject to overfishing.
Indian Ocean albacore and bigeye are subject to overfishing.
All skipjack and most albacore stocks are healthy.

Ratings for the following species have changed since last reported in March:

The abundance rating for Eastern Pacific Ocean bigeye has been downgraded from green to yellow, but the fishing mortality rating of that stock has improved from orange to yellow.
Both the fishing mortality rate ratio and abundance rating for Eastern Pacific Ocean yellowfin have improved from orange to green. This was primarily due to changes in the stock assessment methodology used.

ISSF publishes its signature Status of the Stocks report twice each year using the most current scientific data on 23 major commercial tuna stocks.

Key Statistics in the Report

Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 65% of the 23 stocks are at healthy levels of abundance, 13% are overfished and 22% are at an intermediate level.
Fishing mortality levels: 74% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate, and 22% are experiencing overfishing.
Total catch: The catch of major commercial tuna stocks was 5.2 million tonnes in 2018, an 8% increase from 2017. 58% was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (29%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas accounted for 1% of the global catch.
Largest tuna catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes, unchanged since the previous report, are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack.
Tuna production by fishing gear: 65% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (10%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (4%) and miscellaneous gears (13%). These percentages changed minimally since the previous report.

The Status of the Stocks report is reviewed by the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee, which provides advice on its content. The report does not advocate any particular seafood purchase decisions.

The Pandemic’s Impact on the Status of the Stocks

This is the first update to this report since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact the work of the RFMOs. In particular, meetings of the scientific committees and commissions have been scheduled on different dates than usual, and this has delayed this update.

Furthermore, readers should be aware that RFMOs issued exemptions to certain monitoring requirements such as observer coverage. As such, the summaries of management measures provided for the stocks, particularly in relation to observer coverage, may not be completely accurate in reflecting the monitoring that is ongoing during this exceptional period.

About the Report

There are 23 stocks of major commercial tuna species worldwide — 6 albacore, 4 bigeye, 4 bluefin, 5 skipjack, and 4 yellowfin stocks. The Status of the Stocks summarizes the results of the most recent scientific assessments of these stocks, as well as the current management measures adopted by the RFMOs. Updated twice per year, Status of the Stocks assigns color ratings (green, yellow or orange) using a consistent methodology based on three factors: Abundance, Exploitation/Management (fishing mortality) and Environmental Impact (bycatch).

ISSF produces two Status of the Stocks reports annually to provide clarity about where we stand — and how much more needs to be done — to ensure the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks. The Status of the Stocks presents a comprehensive analysis of tuna stocks by species, and the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Criteria provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on MSC assessment criteria. The MSC-certified fisheries list (Appendix 2) in Status of the Stocks complements the Evaluation report. Together, these tools help to define the continuous improvement achieved, as well as the areas and issues that require more attention.

In addition, ISSF maintains a data-visualization tool based on its Status of the Stocks report. The “Interactive Stock Status Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna abundance and exploitation health indicators by catch or stock and filter by location and species as well as be informed about the share of total catch by species/stocks and gear types.

ISSF Statement: IATTC Fails to Preserve Tuna Conservation and FAD Measures at Annual Meeting

Written by svanouse on December 7, 2020. Posted in Blogs, News, Press Releases, Statements.

Last month, ISSF and its partners appealed to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) to, at a minimum, act to ensure its current measures on tuna conservation and management do not lapse and stay in place for 2021. ISSF outlined its science-based recommendations to IATTC in our position statement.

Unfortunately, IATTC ended its Nov. 30–Dec. 4 virtual Commission meeting without keeping crucial “status quo” measures in place:

First, the Commission could not agree to extend its current resolution for tropical tuna species for 2021, leaving the entire fishery for bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack tuna stocks without management measures. Fishing effort and catch limit provisions for these stocks are no longer in place.
Second, IATTC did not extend into 2021 the requirements to limit the number of active FADs.

Despite the clear scientific advice to, at a minimum, keep these provisions intact, the objection of one party blocked their extension. As a result, the sustainability of the region’s tropical tuna fisheries and marine ecosystems is now at risk.

IATTC’s inaction is a breakdown of its responsibility to ensure the long-term sustainable use of Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) tuna resources. In response to the Commission’s flagrant failings, ISSF urges all IATTC parties to exercise restraint and take the precautionary approach by voluntarily continuing to apply the previously in-effect provisions throughout 2021. Doing so will help keep fishing mortality at a level consistent with IATTC objectives.

ISSF calls upon IATTC to urgently organize an emergency session of the Commission early in 2021 to put in place binding conservation measures that will apply immediately.

We recognize that pandemic lockdowns and travel limitations have made substantive discussions and consensus-building especially difficult this year. But RFMOs and national governments will remain in this situation for the foreseeable future — and they need to adapt, as other organizations worldwide have, to the new reality. The virtual meeting format does not prevent or excuse them from ensuring detailed, inclusive discussions and taking decisive action to protect global tuna stocks and their marine ecosystems.