Brussels, 15/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - Last week, the European Commission hailed the progress made at the latest meeting, in Busan (Korea) at the start of March, of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), an intergovernmental organisation changed with managing tunas in the Indian Ocean and adjacent zones. For the first time, the Commission points out, the IOTC reached agreement on a range of strong measures on control and compliance with the rules. Among these measures are: - an area (outside the Somali Exclusive Economic Zone) closed to fishing throughout the month of February for the longline fleet and throughout November for the purse fleet; - the development of a total allowable catch (TAC) and quota system by 2012; - a ban on catching thresher sharks; - the adoption of a port state control and inspection scheme reflecting the recent FAO Agreement on Port State Measures to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing; - expansion of the black list of vessels involved in illegal activities; - a statement expressing the IOTC's “rising concerns” over the upsurge in acts of piracy which have had a serious impact on merchant shipping and on legitimate fishing activities in the western part of the IOTC zone of competence. (L.C./transl.rt)