Progress amidst setbacks: IOTC adopts important measures but fails to address Yellowfin tuna overfishing

Posted on 17 May 2024

Despite scientific advice, IOTC’s Parties decided against the catch reductions needed, deferring the decision to the next annual session in 2025. This session of the IOTC demonstrates that positive actions and decisions are possible, despite the failure to reach an agreement on yellowfin tuna, who’s future remains in a perilous state.

13-17 May 2024, Bangkok, Thailand: The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, at its 28th annual session, failed to adopt the critical measures needed to safeguard Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna. Despite scientific advice, IOTC’s Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties (CPCs) decided against the catch reductions needed, deferring the decision to the next annual session in 2025, when new stock assessment data will be available.

But Umair Shahid, WWF’s Indian Ocean Tuna Manager, stated: “It is deeply disappointing that IOTC has failed to curb overfishing. The Scientific Committee has reported that yellowfin tuna’s spawning stock biomass has halved over the last 15 years. This alarming decline highlights the Commission’s inability to develop effective solutions, pushing required reduction targets ever higher, indicating that yesterday’s lower limit is today’s upper limit”.

Yet in a turn of surprising events, the much-needed proposal for a comprehensive management strategy for drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) was adopted thanks to a critical move by one CPC requesting an open vote. These decisions are a testament to the power of collaborative effort and signify at least some progress. We commend the IOTC members for this decision and urge continuous vigilance in effectively implementing these measures.

The IOTC successfully adopted ten proposals and two recommendations covering a range of important areas. However, it did not reach agreement on several critical issues, including area closures, a 31-day closure for all fishing gears, and a conservation and management measure to protect sharks, which recommended fins to remain naturally attached to all sharks, and a ban on the use of wire tracers and shark lines. At this crucial moment, WWF recommended that the Commission undertake a management procedure for blue sharks. This motion, supported by two CPCs, will now become part of the IOTC's programme of work.

Although several proposals, including the yellowfin tuna rebuilding plan, area closure and sharks conservation and management measures were deferred or withdrawn, WWF believes these issues will be revisited next year, given the expressed commitment of key proponents. This session of the IOTC demonstrates that positive actions and decisions are possible, despite the failure to reach an agreement on yellowfin tuna, who’s future remains in a perilous state.

It is now clear that for yellowfin tuna, and other species, decisive measures are required to protect these critical marine resources. WWF remains steadfast in its commitment to lead these efforts, and will ramp-up its push for urgent and effective management strategies at every opportunity, to prevent irreversible damage to our oceans and marine life.

Contacts:
Umair Shahid, Indian Ocean Tuna Manager, WWF-Mozambique (ushahid@wwf.org.pk)

Yellowfin tuna, Pacific Ocean Mexico