Regarding yellowfin tuna, despite all the efforts from European Union and Seychelles, most of the objecting parties – Oman, India, Indonesia, Iran, Madagascar and Somalia, whose catches represent 40% of the IOTC yellowfin catches – did not join the efforts of others and still refuse to apply the reductions imposed by the management plan of 2021. No consensus was achieved either on skipjack tuna: “The European Union and Maldives had both proposed to limit the catches of skipjack to comply with the Harvest Control Rule adopted in 2021. However, while the EU made a step forward, increasing catch limitations on the main harvesters but alleviating the burden on least developed countries, Maldives made a step backward, proposing even more drastic reductions solely addressed to the EU fleet to relieve all other countries of any effort, including the eight other main harvesters. Too many contracting parties (CPCs) where unwilling to accept any limitation”, regretted Anne-France Mattlet, Europêche Tuna Group Director.

Similarly, the European Union proposal on fishing aggregated devices (FADs) would have been the most ambitious ever adopted in IOTC, allowing a better scientific analysis of the data transmitted by the buoys but unfortunately, no consensus was reached.

Those two major topics might be debated again in future intersession meetings. Other major improvement proposed to the monitoring and control system were not so lucky. EU proposals to establish an inspection scheme in the high sea and to improve mandatory statistical reporting requirements were firmly rejected. Anne-France Mattlet is confident: “We are convinced that the European Union and Seychelles’ teams will keep on proposing improvements on monitoring, control and surveillance issues and find a way to get support from other CPCs to address these major issues”.

Europêche Tuna Group appeals to the responsibility of the objecting countries on the interim rebuilding plan for Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna, to lift their objections, and look for compromises at the IOTC negotiation table.

Press contacts: 

Daniel Voces, Managing Director of Europêche: +32 2 230 48 48 daniel.voces@europeche.org

Anne-France Mattlet, Europêche Tuna Group Director: anne-france.mattlet@europeche.org

EP Press Release – 26th Session of IOTC

Despite the numerous calls from the EU on all countries to take proportional effort and responsibility towards the good management and full recovery of bigeye tuna, some countries[1] have been increasing catches of tropical tuna stocks in the last decade, in stark contrast with the catch reductions for the EU fleet. After long debates, ICCAT parties decided to set a TAC of 62,000 tonnes for bigeye tuna, a roll-over of the TAC of 110,000 tonnes for yellowfin, as well as a period of closure of fishing on FADs[2] being reduced from 3 months to 72 days over the entire area of ​​the Atlantic.

Mr Javier Garat, President of Europêche, declared: “An increase in the bigeye tuna TAC to 75,000 tonnes was possible and within the limits set by scientific recommendations. This would have particularly benefited some developing coastal countries and, as such, it was a missed opportunity. Europêche also regrets the continuation of the FAD closure, although slightly reduced, given its excessive socio-economic impact. Nevertheless, European tuna fishing vessels will continue to follow and respect ICCAT’s recommendations”.

Concerning the North Atlantic albacore stock, the sector criticises the unjustified introduction of a precautionary approach much stricter than usual for a stock that is in healthy conditions. In addition, the stock will remain underexploited given the absence of a revision of the management objectives which will be addressed next year by the ICCAT’s scientific committee. “Regrettably, our fishermen have not stopped tightening their belts on their national quota since 2016 due to a lack of timely legislative action” indicates Javier Garat.

Finally, the shortfin mako shark has been the subject of long debates leading to a retention ban for the year 2022 and 2023, pending an assessment by the scientific committee on the possible retention of already dead specimens. The retention on board of mako sharks that arrive dead to the vessel was defended by the European Union and the sector. “The president of ICCAT’s scientific committee already specified in 2019 that discarding dead fish does not bring any conservation value to the rebuilding of the stock. Besides, it’s a waste of food, prevents the collection of scientific data and does not recognise the efforts made by EU fishermen who have reduced their catches by almost 40% in the last few years” denounces Javier Garat.

Europêche once again criticises the opposition and veto of certain Asian countries to introduce the obligation to provide more data to scientists and to land the fins naturally attached to the bodies, an obligation already applied in the EU. Javier Garat concluded: “ICCAT should be categorical on this point, “no data, no fishing”.

[1] For instance, Senegal, China, Korea and Brazil.

[2] Fishing Aggregated devices used in the purse-seine fishery.

Press contacts:

Daniel Voces, Managing Director of Europêche: +32 2 230 48 48  daniel.voces@europeche.org

EP Press Release – ICCAT 2021