ISSF: Better yellowfin management needed

 The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is calling on the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) to adopt and enforce scientifically sound conservation management measures for yellowfin tuna.

ISSF is urging the 2010 catch to be kept at or below 300,000 tons, a level scientists have determined is the maximum that can be fished while still allowing the stock to recover from overfishing. ISSF is also urging IOTC scientists to better monitor and collect and share data over the coming year.

The call to action comes in advance of next week's annual IOTC meeting in Busan, Korea.

In 2008, the estimated catch of Indian Ocean yellowfin was 322,500 metric tons. Scientists warned IOTC prior to last year's meeting that the species was being overfished, but a management plan was not put in place.

"This is the recommendation of the IOTC Scientific Committee and we fully support its findings," said ISSF President Susan Jackson. "Countries must recognize that this stock will not recover at the rate it is currently being fished and leadership is needed to prevent yellowfin from declining further. We're hopeful nations will act differently this year."

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