Brussels, 18/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - At the 24th meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Malta from 10 to 17 November, the 50 contracting parties decided to make no change to the Bluefin tuna recovery plan and measures. The lack of measures on swordfish, however, is a source of concern for environmental NGOs.
Last year, ICCAT agreed a 20% annual increase for the following three years in total allowable catches (TACs) of Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic. Nothing has changed after this latest meeting. The 2014 TAC of 13,500 tonnes will rise to 16,142 tonnes in 2015 and will increase, as planned, to 19,296 tonnes in 2016. The 2017 TAC was provisionally set at 23,155 tonnes, but will be reviewed in the light of fresh assessment of the strength of the stock in 2016. Europêche (EU fisheries enterprises) had argued for a larger increase in 2016. It is, therefore, disappointed by the result (see EUROPE 11425).
Swordfish abandoned. No progress was made on protecting the swordfish stock. WWF and other environmental NGOs are concerned. Despite its requests, no management plan was forthcoming, laments WWF, urging the EU and all ICCAT contracting parties to ensure the best data is provided to allow scientists to conduct a robust stock assessment and to put clear management recommendations on the table in 2016.
Bigeye tuna. The ICCAT scientific committee concluded that the bigeye tuna stock is being overfished, according to an ICCAT press release. The bigeye TAC was set at 65,000 tonnes for 2016, 2017, and 2018. A TAC set at that level gives the stock a 50% chance of recovery, in the view of one NGO.
The TAC for yellowfin tuna was kept at 110,000 tonnes for 2016 only and will be revised in the light of the 2016 stock assessment, according to the ICCAT press release. It was also decided to set up an ICCAT working group on fish aggregating devices (FADs). The NGOs regret, too, that no new measures were taken to regulate shark fishing.
Lastly, ICCAT is “proud” to announce the election of its new chair, Martin Tsanemyi from Ghana, who becomes the first chair of the ICCAT commission from Africa. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)