World Tuna Day is upon us again, on May 2. Every year, the observance gives stakeholders on the march toward sustainable management of the world’s tuna resources a chance to reflect on recent progress, both material advances as well as symbolic ones.
First celebrated globally in 2012, World Tuna Day was established in 2011 by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA). It has increased in importance year after year, as increased concern, resources and conservation measures have been directed to promoting more sustainable practices in tuna fisheries.
Last December, the United Nations General Assembly voted without objection to acknowledge World Tuna Day as an internationally recognized event — reinforcing the importance of tuna to the world. We now have a global unified front of NGOs — including ISSF — as well as scientists, industry participants and others sharing best practices, teaming up on advocacy efforts and dedicating scientific and technological resources to improve tuna conservation. (In fact, our upcoming 2016 annual report will focus on “best practices, better solutions.”)
When World Tuna Day began, this level of collaboration and the unified will to effect change didn’t exist the way it does today.
There is still a great deal of work ahead, but the movement has gone global, it has scientific integrity, and it has the support of much of the tuna industry. It is so much more than just a day.
ISSF sponsored Skippers Workshops for the seventh consecutive year in 2016, convening purse seine fishers from around the world with marine scientists to listen and learn from each other about sustainable fishing.
From 2009 through 2015, we presented workshops on 4 continents and in 17 countries, and to vessels flying more than 25 flags. The workshops have been attended by skippers and crew from most of the important tuna fleets in Asia (Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Philippines), Africa (Ghana, Seychelles), Europe (Spain, France), Western Pacific (Micronesia, Marshall Islands), and North and South America (U.S.A., Ecuador, Panama, Mexico, Peru).
Participants at the ISSF Skippers Workshop in Madeira (Portugal), 2016
Welcoming new fleets to the workshop program
We continued to broaden our horizons in 2016, welcoming new fleets to the initiative. Half of the workshops we offered last year were conducted with tuna fishing fleets and ports never visited before, including China, Vietnam and Portugal. We received great feedback from all sides and are planning more workshops with skippers in these regions. So far we have reached over 2,400 participants — including fishers, ship owners, fleet managers, fisheries managers and scientists, among other stakeholders. Over 60 percent of the participants were captains, many with decades of experience fishing for tuna.
ISSF Skippers Workshop participants at Shanghai (China), 2016
In these last several years, thanks to the insights from the captains and crew from many countries, we have learned a great deal about how each tuna fishery and fleet works. We have also heard firsthand from fishers willing to share their valuable knowledge — and appreciate the scientists and fishery managers who have taken time to hear their opinions.
Despite being the principal actors in the fishery, fishers can sometimes be left out when it comes to looking for solutions to the “sustainability equation.” Having revisited many ports on an annual basis, I have observed fishers increasing their efforts toward sustainable practices — they know it is in their best interest to maintain healthy tuna stocks and mitigate environmental impacts.
Scientists presenting bycatch information at the Tema (Ghana) workshop, 2016
Fishers are adopting many recommended sustainable practices voluntarily, even when it brings additional work to an already demanding job. In fact, many of these ideas — such as the design of non-entangling FADs, and methods for releasing bycatch from the deck safely and with easy-to-use equipment — emerged through direct cooperation between skippers and scientists. Some captains and ship owners have taken ISSF scientists on board their vessels during commercial fishing trips to let them conduct important bycatch mitigation research.
Scientist (left) with fishers from small-scale tuna vessels in Quy Nhon (Vietnam), 2016
Thinking “small” to reach more skippers
ISSF’s Skippers Workshops examine technical bycatch-reduction approaches not only for the tuna fisheries of large commercial purse seiners, but also for small-scale tuna vessels. Last year, we made a point to interact with skippers from small vessel fleets like those of Indonesia and Vietnam.
Scientists and fishery managers often poorly understand the specific fishing methods used by small tuna vessels. To change that, scientists working with ISSF have been collecting information on these fishing gears and practices to develop customized bycatch-mitigation solutions.
Small-scale tuna vessels in Indonesia
For instance, unlike large purse seiners, these smaller vessels do not have high-tech fish finders and satellite buoys; our research on echo-sounder buoy selectivity is not applicable to them. Instead, other methods of fish pre-estimation — such as visual cues and the use of specific guidebooks to distinguish between tuna species like yellowfin and bigeye tuna — are provided.
Training trainers to spread the message
Reaching these small vessel fleets can be challenging due to geographic dispersion, and small purse seine vessels number in the thousands. For this reason, ISSF has piloted a train-the-trainer program in Indonesia.
Indonesian train-the-trainer scientist Anung Widodo (left) with skipper (right) during port visit at Benoa (Indonesia), 2016
A team of local fisheries scientists from the Indonesian Research Center for Fisheries Management and Conservation (RCFMC) has been trained by their colleagues with ISSF to host additional skippers workshops at multiple ports around the islands of this archipelago. While ISSF provides multiple online tools like translated videos and guidebooks to facilitate training globally, reliable access to the internet by fishers is often difficult. For this reason, having in-person discussions in their native language and with qualified trainers greatly increases the training’s value and results.
Step by step, positive patterns are emerging in the tuna fishing fleets of the world. For example, non-entangling FADs — key to reducing bycatch — are now the norm in three out of four tuna fishing regions (e.g., Indian Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific). That’s notable progress when you consider that this kind of FAD did not even exist five years ago.
Small-group meeting with skippers and ISSF workshop leaders in Manta (Ecuador), 2016
Making progress on best practices
The next step is to move towards biodegradable FADs in order to reduce marine debris, and we have been talking with captains about how best to accomplish this.
Recently, ISSF organized in San Sebastian, Spain, a small-scale workshop with experienced skippers and scientists to find the best ways to move this issue forward. Again, captains offered their insight to help design non-entangling biodegradable FADs, customized to best suit the conditions in each oceanic region. Trials are on the way that will test FADs built with these natural materials.
Increasingly, more and more vessels are routinely using best practices — developed through scientific research at sea, in conjunction with vessel crew — to release accidentally caught sharks, turtles and manta rays. We’re gratified that in 2016 we reached a record number of captains to share these best practices — over 340 skippers.
Participants at the ISSF Skippers Workshop of Quy Nhon (Vietnam), 2016
To date, more than 1,200 skippers and 1,000 industry stakeholders (crew, ship owners, fleet managers, cannery managers, etc.) have been part of the ISSF Skippers Workshop program. To our knowledge, ISSF’s program is one of the most successful fisher-industry-scientist collaborations in the world. Fishers are uniquely capable of facilitating the discovery of better, practical solutions to bycatch mitigation in today’s fisheries.
Dr. Jefferson Murua works in the Marine Research Division of AZTI, a non-profit foundation committed to the social and economic development of the marine environment and food sector. Dr. Murua also conducts educational workshops and research on behalf of ISSF.
Every December, the ISSF team takes stock of the year’s achievements in the tuna RFMOs. We also set our sights on new goals and identify areas where stronger collaboration can ensure progress on priorities that need extra attention.
Harvest Strategies Harvest strategies, which include harvest control rules (HCRs) and reference points, are an essential component of modern, science-based fisheries management. All four tropical tuna RFMOs made some progress developing elements for harvest strategies.
First up in the 2016 RFMO cycle, IOTC adopted an initial harvest control rule (HCR) for skipjack tuna that is consistent with scientific advice. The adoption of this skipjack HCR was the culmination of significant work, investment and advocacy by many parties over several years—nations, industry, NGOs, scientists and retailers—and it allows for refinement as management strategy work continues.
Then, the IATTC adopted a more complete interim HCR for yellowfin, skipjack and bigeye tuna in accordance with two years of scientific advice. This action paves the way for implementing a comprehensive harvest strategy that fisheries can follow to ensure stocks are maintained at an optimal level.
In November in Portugal, ICCAT advanced its Harvest Strategy processes, which now have a timetable. ICCAT’s Standing Working Group to Enhance Dialogue Between Fisheries Scientists and Managers will meet again next year, and HCR elements for Northern Atlantic albacore tuna will be tested via management strategy evaluations (MSEs).
Finally, we ended the year on a high note in Fiji, where the WCPFC adopted an interim 10-year rebuilding target for bigeye tuna (which is currently overfished to a level below the Commission’s Limit Reference Point, with overfishing still occurring). WCPFC also adopted interim acceptable levels of risk for breaching the limit reference points for yellowfin, skipjack and albacore, which will be used in evaluating candidate HCRs, as well as interim management objectives for the tropical tuna purse seine fishery.
FAD Management Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) are used in nearly 40% of global tuna catches, including 50% of global skipjack catches. For optimal FAD monitoring and management, it’s essential that nations report specific FAD data to RFMOs. It’s good news that there was some progress in this area—and it’s important to celebrate.
IATTC, for example, agreed to amendments to the Commission’s FAD measure to: (i) pull the reporting and management recommendation dates forward to 2018; (ii) make the FAD management working group permanent, and allow it to report directly to the Commission; and (iii) require that FAD data are submitted in a standardized format.
ICCAT’s revised tropical tuna measure now requires better data reporting from and monitoring on supply vessels, which ISSF has been advocating to tuna RFMOs. Supply vessels conduct activities related to drifting FADs that increase a purse seiner’s efficiency, reducing the time it needs to search for and maintain FADs. Right now, tuna RFMOs are not adequately assessing or monitoring these supply vessel activities.
Strengthening Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Achieving sustainable tuna fisheries doesn’t begin and end with adopting measures for harvest strategies, reducing the catch of tuna stocks to sustainable levels, and managing FADs. Implementing robust monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) measures—transparently, by all parties—is equally critical to be certain that the adopted measures are being carried out.
In the Indian Ocean, the IOTC took significant steps that will support HCRs and other measures. For example, parties agreed to explore options for strengthening the IOTC satellite vessel monitoring system, start a work program to implement electronic reporting for the IOTC’s Port State Measures Resolution, and begin a pilot project to strengthen the IOTC Regional Observer Scheme. In addition, IOTC’s adoption of a Resolution on Vessels without Nationality aligns the IOTC with other tuna RFMOs and strengthens global actions against IUU fishing.
In the Atlantic Ocean, ICCAT progressed the development of e-monitoring and e-reporting standards. In particular, the new ICCAT observer measure accepted the proposed guidelines for purse seiners and tasked ICCAT’s science body with developing additional guidelines for other gears, as needed.
To ensure RFMOs receive quality data from observer programs, it is essential that these observers can do their jobs in a safe and professional environment. That is why we are pleased the WCPFC adopted a binding measure for the protection of WCPFC regional program observers—a first of its kind.
Priorities for 2017 While we are pleased with the positive results this year, much more is needed to achieve sustainable global tuna fisheries.
For 2017, in addition to continuing to work to progress harvest strategies, MCS reform, and FAD management, four other areas stand out as priorities—across all tuna RFMOs—where ISSF will be working collaboratively with scientists, other NGOs, industry, vessels, the market and the tuna RFMOs to accelerate action:
Adoption of science-based conservation and management measures for tropical tunas
Strengthening the management and monitoring of longline fisheries, in particular by increasing the levels of observer coverage from 5%
Developing and adopting standards for electronic reporting and electronic monitoring
We will also be paying particular attention to the WCPFC, which produces more than half of the global tuna catch. WCPFC is falling behind other tuna RFMOs in several key areas:
It is the only tuna RFMO that has a closed and non-transparent compliance monitoring process. Progress to adopt procedures to allow accredited observers access to these deliberations, under strict conditions, as is the practice in all other tuna RFMOs, was stalled by a single member. ISSF will continue to advocate for such transparency in 2017 with our partners, as it is essential to good governance and ensuring all players are fully implementing their obligations, and addressing any non-compliance as a matter of priority.
It also the only tuna RFMO that has not adopted provisions for the use of non-entangling FAD designs.
Since 2005, scientists and fishers have been collaborating to design drifting FADs that minimize entanglement risk for sharks and other non-target species. The resulting FAD designs—like those developed by scientists working with ISSF—are less likely to entangle non-target species. A recent study shows that the industry acceptance level of such designs by fishers and ship-owners has progressed rapidly since 2010. Without decreasing their tuna catches, fleets have replaced traditional FADs with lower-entanglement-risk and non-entangling FADs.
Thanks to all ISSF partners and supporters for the great work in 2016. We look forward to working with you again in 2017—it will be a big year. The ISSF team will continue to work to support strengthened conservation and management of the world’s tuna fisheries on which so many communities and nations depend. Why? Because fish matter.
Dr. Jefferson Murua works in the Marine Research Division of AZTI, a non-profit foundation committed to the social and economical development of the marine environment and food sector. Dr. Murua also conducts educational workshops and research on behalf of ISSF.
Much of ISSF’s bycatch mitigation work concentrates on identifying, testing and sharing best practices for the large-scale tuna purse seine fleets operating with drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs). But ISSF recognizes that reaching fleets of smaller vessels is equally important in the effort to extend best practices for sustainable fishing across global tuna fisheries.
In countries like Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam, many tuna fishing fleets are made up of small purse seine vessels that principally fish on anchored fish aggregating devices (AFADs) within their national waters. Though smaller, these boats are plentiful and together comprise a significant portion of the Western Pacific Ocean tuna catches.
Because of their size, use of basic technology and their high catch-retention rates, many of the bycatch mitigation options designed for large purse seiners — pre-estimation of species composition with high-tech echo-sounders, for example — are not applicable to these vessels. For this reason, ISSF has been closely collaborating with these AFAD fleets since 2012 to understand their particular fishing practices, utilization of non-tuna species, and methods of bycatch release —and also to find potential bycatch mitigation methods for sensitive species like sharks.
In close collaboration with the Indonesian Center for Fisheries Research and Development (CFRD), ISSF has established a “train-the-trainer” program in Indonesia for the first time. This program trains a group of local CFRD fisheries scientists to conduct educational ISSF skippers workshops in the skippers’ local, native language, Bahasa Indonesian. The workshops invite fishers to discuss their interaction with bycatch species and show them ways to reduce such unwanted catch.
In September, ISSF and CFRD scientists conducted workshops in six principal Indonesian tuna ports — Jakarta, Benoa, Bitung, Kendari, Sibolga and Banda Aceh. Over 200 captains attended the workshops, which is required for ISSF participating companies by ISSF conservation measure 3.4 Skipper Best Practices.
Because the Indonesian tuna purse seine fleet comprises thousands of boats that are widely dispersed along the many ports of the Indonesian archipelago, having a dedicated team of national scientists available is vitally important if we are to reach out to a significant portion of the fleet. The plan is to increase the number of workshops and ports visited for 2017.
Also in September, ISSF-supported scientists met with the Vietnamese purse seine tuna fleet for the first time, holding a skipper workshop at the port of Quy Nhon with the help of the national tuna association (VINATUNA) and canneries like FOODTECH. More than 40 captains participated in the workshop, providing scientists with key background information about the fishing gear and methods they utilize in their daily operations.
The workshop was highly productive for both scientists and fishers, and both sides were enthusiastic to continue to collaborate in developing the best sustainable practices for the Vietnamese tuna fisheries.
Miguel Herrera is Deputy Manager of OPAGAC (Organización de Productores Asociados de Grandes Atuneros Congeladores), an association of eight tuna purse seine fishing companies and forty large-scale tuna purse seiners that operate worldwide. Prior to OPAGAC, Miguel headed the Spanish Fisheries Office and spent over fifteen years working for the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). He has a degree in Biology (Zoology) from Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain.
Stakeholders in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries recently pooled resources for an important first in the Seychelles region. Several organizations are charged with collaborating to build capacity on the use of electronic monitoring systems (EMS) on fishing vessels there:
Organization of Associated Producers of Large Tuna Freezers (OPAGAC)
These groups are evaluating the feasibility of using EMS for monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of Seychelles-flagged fishing vessels, as well as of foreign-flagged vessels licensed to operate in the Seychelles. While the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project has been involved with EMS in the Pacific and Atlantic — in in Fiji and Ghana, respectively — the Seychelles project is its first EMS activity in the Indian Ocean, which accounts for about 20% of the world’s tuna production.
The EMS equipment in Seychelles includes 7 cameras aboard a 4,428-ton purse seine vessel called Intertuna Tres and the same number of cameras on a 3,445-ton purse seine vessel, the Galerna III. The cameras are recording 24/7. Their placement in different parts of the vessel allows for a complete and simultaneous monitoring of all steps in fishing operations: as the set is made; when the catch is brailed or hauled on board; during sorting of the target tunas and bycatch species; and, finally, storing the catch into freezing wells. It also allows for direct monitoring of the environment around the vessels.
All of these data are stored with the exact time and position of every event. “Dry” or land-based observers from the SFA — observers who work on land rather than at sea on the vessel — have been trained to use the equipment and software to review and analyze the videos and record data. All dry observers had substantial previous experience as at-sea observers aboard tuna purse seines. The data reviewed by the dry observers will also be validated independently.
The project has also trained port samplers at the SFA on conducting port oversampling of catches, i.e., sampling a much larger number of fish than usual, from trips monitored through EMS. Estimating the species composition of purse seine catches at sea can be difficult, because large volumes of fish — up to five tons at a time — are sent to fish wells quickly.
Using EMS technology to estimate tuna species composition is a compelling component of the Seychelles activity, sampling much larger numbers of fish than a human could. The catches estimated using data obtained from port oversampling will be used to ensure that EMS provides good estimates of catch and size distribution per species and fishing set. Improving the accuracy of these data will help to improve the stock assessments and ecosystem impacts of the purse seine fishery that form the scientific basis for fisheries management in the region.
It is important to remember that purse seiners are not the only vessels in need of improved MCS in tuna fisheries. Lessons learned on this activity, and during the other EMS studies, will be applied to further research on EMS feasibility for longline vessels and other gear types. Results from activities like these could showcase the results and effectiveness of electronic monitoring, serving as powerful examples of the tool’s value across all fisheries.
RFMOs and vessel operators can look to projects like these to evaluate and invest in the value of this technology as one tool among many to increase the global sustainability of fisheries.
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has supported related EMS pilot studies in other regions and is a partner in the EMS activities of the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project in Ghana. ISSF has drafted standards for the implementation of EMS and advocates universally for stronger MCS measures like EMS at tuna RFMOs.
This project is an initiative of the Costa Rican Government (Fisheries Agency and Environment Ministry), and has been carried out via collaboration between the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), EcoPacific+, Submon and the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC).
Incidental capture of sea turtles is a well-known impact of longline and other fisheries worldwide and one of several significant causes of the decrease in sea turtle populations. While effective alternatives to reduce incidental capture are studied and put in place, identifying methods to increase an animal’s probability of survival after incidental capture is of equal importance. There are a number of techniques and procedures that can increase the chances of sea turtles surviving the interaction with fisheries. These practices should be adapted in each case to the operational and technological conditions of the fishery and also in light of socioeconomic aspects. All of this information should be passed onto fishers, fishery observers and government agencies in order to improve marine turtle post-release survival and long-term sustainable management of fisheries.
Thanks to an interdisciplinary team of professionals with expertise in fishing technologies — veterinarians, fishers and fishery observers from the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea — knowledge of these handling techniques has improved over 12 years. Throughout, the contribution and knowledge of fishermen and observers has been essential to identify techniques and tools that are practical and applicable to specific fishing conditions.
The Government of Costa Rica is working to mitigate the impact of longline fisheries on marine turtles. In November 2014, the Government published an Executive Decree on the “Management for the efficient use of tuna and similar species in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Costa Rican Pacific” (known as “the Tuna Decree”). This requires, among other items, the training of fishers and observers in best practices and the use of adequate tools on board longline vessels. The private sector, comprised of tuna processors and seafood exporters, has also expressed its willingness to improve operations towards the responsible and sustainable fishing of large pelagic fish. Two important processes are currently underway in the country: 1) the implementation of “the Tuna Decree” and 2) the beginning of a project to improve the mahi-mahi longline fishery, which catches turtles accidentally.
Costa Rica is therefore at an optimal moment to develop training programs in best-handling techniques of sea turtles on board longline vessels. To capitalize on this momentum, 10 technical workshops were carried out along the country’s Pacific coast. This was a further step by the Government Fishery Agency (the Costa Rican Institute of Fishing and Aquaculture – INCOPESCA) and the Environmental Ministry (MINAE) to engage fishers, industry, national NGOs and the government inspectors in the protection of sea turtles — working together toward solutions to improve fisher’s work while minimizing threats to sea turtle conservation.
Attendance at the workshops was twice what was initially expected, with a total of 317 fishers in the main harbors: Cuajiniquil, Playa del Coco, Puntarenas, Quepos and Golfito, and in a small-scale fishing community with artisanal fishers, Playa Lagarto/Sanjuanillo. The “Tuna Decree” was explained, in addition to results from previous experiments with “J” (traditional) and circle hooks carried out in the country. A specialist veterinarian explained anatomy and physiology of sea turtles, best practices for removing hooks when handling incidentally captured turtles, and the reasons why such practices can save turtles.
The aim of these sessions was to empower fishers with the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding the handling of sea turtle bycatch when on the fishing vessel, depending on the various situations they face. A total of 100 pig-tail and 100 J dehookers were given out to attending longline vessel captains or owners, as well as t-shirts with best practices illustrated on the back for all attending fishers. It was exciting listening to the fishers sharing experiences and absorbing the presentations and demonstrations as though it were the first day of class. An atmosphere of trust is fundamental to the successful sharing of ideas, and such an atmosphere was made possible thanks to the respectful relationships built over years with longline fishers — as well as a result of their leaders’ commitment to improving fisheries management.
Three more sessions were conducted for government officials, fishery observers, beach technicians and researchers in Puntarenas, Cabuyal and Ostional, so that they can apply the same techniques when faced with injured turtles on vessels or in remote areas. And a fourth talk was carried out at the University of Costa Rica for students to learn about the problem of incidental capture of turtles and work being developed to reduce its impact on species conservation.
These trainings lay the groundwork for future actions in Costa Rica, such as: implementing an observer pilot program for the longline fleet; the collection of turtle bycatch data, which is now required in a new logbook system; and the training of key personnel to continue further training of fishermen in best practices.
This experience in Costa Rica showed that fisheries are very dynamic: techniques and procedures should be periodically tested and, therefore, training programs should be ongoing, in order to incorporate new findings and knowledge. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for the challenges fisheries may face, and it is essential to adequately know and understand fishing sectors, technically and socially. Continued training will reach more fishers and professionals in Latin America and other regions, sharing the results of research, and building on what we learn from fishers.
Thank you, ISSF and IAC, for confidence in and support for these activities, and participating fishers for enthusiasm in adapting to the new practices these efforts are designed to create.
