IATTC adopts tuna conservation measures

The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) at its annual meeting in La Jolla, Calif., on Friday adopted a series of conservation measures to protect tuna stocks in the eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO).

All 16 IATTC member countries, excluding Columbia, voted to close the purse-seine fishery from 59 to 73 days, which along with other measures will reduce fishing effort by about 20 percent over the next three years.

Additionally, a large area to the northwest of the Galapagos Islands will be closed for one month to protect young bigeye tuna, and the adult bigeye longline harvest will be cut up to 9 percent.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) called Friday’s decision “a step toward critical science-based conservation measures to help EPO bigeye recover from overfishing.” But the ISSF said the IATTC failed to adopt all of the recommendations from its scientific staff.

“We’re satisfied calling this a start, but it’s certainly not the endgame,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “EPO bigeye is still in trouble. We’re committed to supporting sound, science-based management of all tuna stocks and we will continue working with the IATTC.”

“Conservation measures take political willpower and the member nations of the IATTC showed they are beginning to muster up enough to get the ball rolling,” added Dr. William Fox, VP for fisheries for the World Wildlife Fund-US and an ISSF board member. “Of course, we want to keep the ball rolling until every obstacle in the way of sustainability is knocked down.”

ISSF was among the coalition of organizations that last week expressed aggravation over the IATTC’s indecision to protect EPO tuna stocks over the past two-plus years.

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