On Monday 24 November in Seville, Spain, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decided to increase bluefin tuna quotas for EU countries in the Mediterranean by 16%.
The EU quota for 2025 currently stands at 21,503 tonnes (t) and, with the decision approved at the meeting of this body which ended this Thursday in Seville, the quota will be increased to 25,164 t.
In detail, following “intense discussions”, ICCAT has agreed to establish new TACs for Western and Eastern bluefin tuna on the basis of the current management procedure, as well as a new allocation of quotas.
The TACs have been set for the period 2026-2028 at 3,081.6 t for the Western Atlantic stock and 48,403 t for the Eastern Atlantic stock (which concerns the EU), representing increases of 13% and 19.3% respectively.
ICCAT has approved the entry of new countries into the bluefin tuna fishery: Mauritania, Namibia, Panama and Senegal. As a result, the breakdown between the stakeholders has changed: the European Union’s share has now been reduced to 52%.
While the increase in the overall quota is a positive sign for the state of fish stocks, the new allocation key is a cause for concern for Europêche. The increase in the TAC for bluefin tuna gives European fishers, who have made enormous efforts, fewer extra quotas than expected, regrets Javier Garat, its President.
ICCAT has also adopted a pilot project to assess the conditions for fishing and farming bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in certain areas (Canary Islands, Atlantic Ocean), to support the future development of these activities.
ICCAT has introduced a management procedure for skipjack tuna in the western Atlantic, setting a constant TAC of 30,844 t for the period 2026-2028, a first for this tropical species.
ICCAT has adopted conservation measures for several sharks: the South Atlantic shortfin mako, with a maximum mortality objective of 1,000 tonnes, as well as the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) and the great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), prohibiting the retention on board, transhipment or partial or total landing of these species when they are caught in the ICCAT area. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)