Saving Seafood

Sea of obstacles imperil American Samoa’s tuna industry

February 18, 2020 — Locally based fishermen who supply the lone Starkist tuna cannery in American Samoa are facing a perfect storm of obstacles that are threatening their economic survival. A battle is now on in the U.S. territory to fend off those looming challenges, from rising fuel costs to international competition. Special correspondent Mike Taibbi reports with support from Pacific Islanders in Communications.

Mike Taibbi:

Morning prayers at the start of the old cannery’s 6 AM shift. Charlie Tuna’s cannery: Starkist. Some 2,400 workers troop to this 56-year old operation every day.

‘Let us celebrate,’ they sing in unison. ‘Bless our workers,’ implores a supervisor, adding ‘as well as our leaders, and management.’ Those leaders of an iconic American brand serve a company that’s now owned and managed by a South Korean conglomerate Dongwon.

Inside the cannery, trays are loaded with several types of thawed, cooked, cooled and ready to process tuna.

Read the full story at PBS

Bumble Bee Launches New Project to Improve Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries

February 11, 2020 — The following was released by Ocean Outcomes & Bumble Bee Foods:

Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, FCF Co, Ltd. and Ocean Outcomes have launched an initiative to improve the sustainability of Bumble Bee source fisheries in the Indian Ocean. The project is the first of its kind in the region for longline vessels catching albacore tuna. To date, no albacore tuna or longline fisheries in the Indian Ocean are certified as sustainable.

The project team hopes to change this in the coming years by improving fishery data collection, reporting mechanisms, monitoring tools and management strategies through a newly launched fishery improvement project (FIP). The objective of the FIP is to improve practices on Chinese Taipei longline tuna fishing vessels so that the fishery is able to achieve a certifiable status within five years.

“We are very excited to formally launch our FIP in the Indian Ocean, expanding the work we have initiated in the Pacific,” said Mike Kraft, VP Global Sustainability and Social Responsibility for The Bumble Bee Seafood Company. “This Indian Ocean FIP will work to improve the sustainability of yet another major source of the albacore used in Bumble Bee’s products.”

Participating FIP vessels catch approximately 6,000 metric tons of albacore tuna from the Indian Ocean annually, much of which is loined in Mauritius and exported to North American markets for canning. Project team members believe this FIP – along with other new and emerging initiatives in the Indian Ocean – can be a catalyst for tuna fisheries in the region to support development of precautionary science-based management strategies, which can help ensure the abundance of albacore species.

“Projects such as this offer a transparent, stepwise approach for fishers to move towards sustainability, which is sorely needed in the Indian Ocean. We’re proud to work with the industry to reduce the negative impacts of fishing and to address the challenges of longline fisheries,” said Daniel Suddaby, VP Strategy and Impact at Ocean Outcomes.

As a first phase of the project, the project team will work to generate better fishery data, which will be used to inform science-based management at the regional level for the target albacore stock and any fishery bycatch species. A key component of this effort will be to increase electronic observer coverage on the fishing vessels, with a long-term goal of 100 percent coverage. Currently, observer coverage is occurring in a small subset of longliners.

This FIP is one of two projects between Bumble Bee, FCF and O2 focused on ensuring sustainable Chinese Taipei longline fisheries; the other is for longline vessels in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Coordination with – and support from – other organizations working on sustainable tuna, such as International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) will be core to the projects’ success. The goal of both FIPs is to achieve a certifiable status by 2024.

To learn more about the Indian Ocean tuna FIP and track its progress, visit www.FisheryProgress.org.

South Bend Products: Seafood processor hopeful tariffs won’t derail success

November 19, 2018 — Over the past decade, many Washington-based seafood processors have been gutted. Increased regulations, labor wages and shipping costs have eroded margins and stifled growth, particularly for smaller, family-owned operations. However, one business along the Willapa Harbor in South Bend has defied industry trends over its 10-year existence, continuously improving and expanding while diversifying its product line.

“We’re celebrating our 10-year anniversary this month,” said Dean Antich, general manager South Bend Products, a subsidiary of Tacoma-based Northern Fish Products. “We just keep getting bigger and busier.”

Booming business

In 2015, Antich hired a sales manager, then added an assistant manager to help delegate the duties for the growing operation.

“I thought that would free my time up but we just got bigger and busier because now we can do more,” Antich said.

What largely started with processing wild salmon in South Bend now includes razor clams, albacore tuna, black cod, halibut and rockfish, depending on the season.

“Salmon is the biggest fishery by pounds,” Antich said. “Dungeness is the biggest fishery by sales.”

In January 2018 South Bend Products acquired a processing facility in Chinook, formerly owned by Bell Buoy Crab. The facility provided more access to the Dungeness crab fishery and curbed shipping costs.

Read the full story at The Daily Astorian

Bumble Bee: Trump’s tuna tariffs ‘devastating’ for firm

September 21, 2018 — US tuna canning company Bumble Bee Foods warned the US Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter that the now-confirmed tariffs against imports of Chinese tuna would be “devastating” for the firm.

The tariffs — which will come into play on Sept. 24 at 10%, and then go to 25% on Jan. 1, 2019 — will hit US imports of yellowfin, skipjack, and albacore tuna loins, all of which are required by Bumble Bee’s Santa Fe Springs, California factory, wrote CEO Jan Tharp.

The tariffs, which were initially proposed by USTR on July 10, will hike the cost of raw materials, which in turn will “certainly lead to higher prices for US consumers”, Bumble Bee’s leader said.

“We are very concerned with the proposed tariff on tuna loins and the impact that these tariffs will have on our supply chain, global competitiveness, and US operations,” Tharp said. “The proposed tariff on tuna loins will have a devastating effect on Bumble Bee given that our business model is to import tuna loins for further processing and canning in the US by American workers.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

Study finds tuna fishermen who fish along ocean fronts can significantly boost revenue

February 21, 2018 — CORVALLIS, Ore. – Savvy Northwest anglers have long known that when patches of warm Pacific Ocean water drift closer to shore each summer, it’s time to chase after the feisty and tasty albacore tuna.

Now a new study confirms that tuna are more likely to be found in regions of the California Current System with certain oceanographic conditions – and that commercial fishermen who work those areas more frequently bring in up to three times the revenue of other tuna anglers.

Results of the study, which was supported by the National Science Foundation and led by Oregon State University, were published today in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science.

These oceanographic conditions are more complex than simply being warmer temperatures, said James Watson, an OSU marine ecologist and lead author on the study. Their technical name is Lagrangian Coherent Structures, though scientists often refer to them as “the skeletons of the sea.”

“Essentially they are physical ocean fronts where surface waters converge,” Watson said. “If you toss two tennis balls in the water and they converge quickly, it is considered a Lagrangian Coherent Structure, or LCS.”

“What we’ve found is that the stronger the convergence, the more likely it is to attract certain things, beginning with the aggregation of phytoplankton, which in turn attracts larger organisms like tuna – and, ultimately, tuna fishermen.”

The researchers sought to discover whether anglers were utilizing these LCSs and if so, whether it had an economic impact. They compiled data from a vessel monitoring system on the location of more than 1,000 fishing vessels every hour in the U.S. California Current Large Marine Ecosystem for a four-year period – a total of more than 340,000 trips. They then collected fisheries catch and price data.

Read the full story at KVAL

 

ISSF Report Shows Management of Many Tuna Stocks Not Meeting Criteria for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Sustainability Standards

January 11, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Only six out of 19 major commercial tuna stocks are being managed to avoid overfishing and restore depleted fish populations because the majority of the stocks are not protected by well-defined harvest control rules (HCRs) from Regional Fishing Management Organizations (RFMOs), according to independent scientists in a report published by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

ISSF 2017-09: An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria finds that, while there has been progress by RFMOs towards developing harvest strategies and implementing well-defined harvest control rules, failure to implement controls for stocks before rebuilding is required has led to an inability to meet the MSC standard’s minimum requirements on harvest control rules.

In the December 2016 version of the report, almost twice as many stocks — 11 of 19 — were found to be well managed. This variance can be attributed in part to refinements made in 2017 regarding how the MSC standard assesses harvest control rules. The authors note, “Scoring guideposts were changed and additional guidance was provided to interpret the scoring guidepost text. The objective of these changes was not to alter the standard, but to continue to improve consistency in its definition and application across the wide variety of fisheries that are seeking certification.”

The report also notes an improvement in stock status scores (PI 1.1.1). For a visual summary of changes over time in the report’s scores, please see related infographics on the ISSF website:Summary of Sustainable Tuna Stocks (MSC Principle 1) and RFMO Performance (MSC Principle 3 Averages).

About the Report
An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks takes a consistent, comprehensive approach to scoring stocks against certain components of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard. The MSC is a global certification program for fisheries.

The report — updated three times since first published in 2013, and organized by individual tuna stock and tuna RFMO — is designed to:

  • Provide a basis for comparing between stock scores and tuna RFMO scores as assessed by the same experts
  • Become a useful source document for future tuna certifications or in the establishment of tuna Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)
  • Prioritize ISSF projects and advocacy efforts against initiatives that will improve low performance indicator scores

The scores in the report focus on stock status (MSC Principle 1) and the international management aspects relevant to RFMOs (part of MSC Principle 3) and are based on publicly available fishery and RFMO data. Each of these Principles is evaluated in relationship to Performance Indicators (PIs) within each Principle.

The Evaluation report also includes detailed remarks on each stock, evaluations of the four RFMOs, and comprehensive reference citations.

Additional Report Findings

The report scores the main commercial tuna stocks (bigeye, yellowfin, albacore, and skipjack — but not bluefin) and each tuna RFMO (ICCAT, IATTC, WCPFC, and IOTC). An 80 is a passing score, below 60 is a failing score, and 60–79 would indicate a conditional pass, with the requirement that any deficiency is addressed within five years if a fishery were to become MSC-certified.

Other findings for each principle are as follows:

MSC Principle 1
The MSC’s Principle 1 states: “A fishery must be conducted in a manner that does not lead to overfishing or depletion of the exploited populations and, for those populations that are depleted, the fishery must be conducted in a manner that demonstrably leads to their recovery.”

Regarding stocks receiving passing scores:

  • Among seven tuna stocks in the Atlantic Ocean, two received an overall principle-level passing score: Yellowfin and Northern Albacore, which “has recovered from biomass reductions several decades ago”
  • Western Pacific Skipjack, Eastern Pacific Yellowfin, Eastern Pacific Bigeye, and Indian Ocean Skipjack all received principle-level passing scores.

In contrast, regarding stocks receiving failing scores:

  • In the Pacific, four stocks received overall principle-level failing scores: Western Yellowfin; North Albacore, South Albacore, and Western Bigeye, which has been undergoing a steady decline since the 1970s.
  • Likewise, in the Indian Ocean, Yellowfin, Bigeye, and Albacore all received overall principle-level failing scores.
  • Yellowfin stocks in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans require rebuilding, as does Atlantic Bigeye.
  • Mediterranean Albacore and Indian Ocean Yellowfin had the most failing scores on individual performance indicators — including on stock rebuilding, harvest strategies and harvest control rules and tools. 

MSC Principle 3
The MSC’s Principle 3 states: “The fishery is subject to an effective management system that respects local, national and international laws and standards and incorporates institutional and operational frameworks that require use of the resource to be responsible and sustainable.”

  • Two RFMOs — WCPFC and IATTC — received passing scores for all seven performance indicators under Principle 3.
  • The other two RFMOs — ICCAT and IOTC — received conditional passing scores on two performance indicators: “consultation, roles and responsibilities” and “compliance and enforcement.” ICCAT was given a conditional pass score for “legal and customary framework.” Other performance indicators include “long term objectives”; “fishery specific objectives”; “decision-making processes”; and “management performance evaluation.”
  • All four RFMOs received overall principle-level passing scores from the authors.

While the report focuses on tuna stock status and sustainability as well as on RFMO policies, it does not address national or bilateral fishing jurisdictions, gear- or fleet-specific ecosystem impacts, or specific fisheries’ ecosystems — all of which are also considered within the MSC assessment methodology.

Since 2011, ISSF has been an active stakeholder in MSC tuna fishery assessments and certifications. ISSF’s strategic objective is to develop and implement verifiable, science-based practices, commitments and international management measures to help all tuna fisheries become capable of meeting the MSC certification standard without conditions.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — the world’s leading conservation organization — promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health. To learn more, visit iss-foundation.org, and follow ISSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram (@issf.official).

 

Updated ISSF Status of the Stocks Report Shows Tuna Stock Abundance and Fishing Mortality Improvements

November 2, 2017 — WASHINGTON — The following was released  by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Of the total tuna catch, 78% comes from stocks at “healthy” levels, an increase of 2% since last reported, according to a November 2017 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. Eleven percent of the global catch came from overfished stocks, and another 11% of the catch is from stocks at an intermediate level of abundance. (See “Key Questions” below for definitions of overfished and overfishing.)

Updated several times per year, Status of the Stocks ranks the 23 stocks of major commercial tunas around the world using a consistent methodology. The report assigns color ratings (green, yellow or orange) on stock health, alternately noted as “abundance” and “spawning biomass”; fishing mortality; and ecosystem impact.

There are some encouraging changes in tuna stock status since the previous February 2017 Status report. The November 2017 report reflects new data from 2017 tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) meetings:

  • Abundance ratings improved for Eastern Pacific bigeye, Western and Central Pacific bigeye, Mediterranean albacore, and Western Atlantic bluefin.
  • Fishing mortality ratings improved for Western and Central Pacific bigeye, North Pacific albacore, and Indian Ocean albacore.

In contrast, two bluefin stocks (Southern and Pacific Ocean), one yellowfin stock (Indian Ocean), and one bigeye stock (Atlantic Ocean) remain overfished. See Tables 1 and 2 in the report for specific rating changes.

Inadequate bycatch monitoring and/or bycatch mitigation measures — represented by separate “Environmental Impact” scores, the third rating area — still are a concern in many of the tuna fisheries studied.


Key Findings in Updated Report
Other notable statistics and findings include:

  • Total catch: In 2015, the total major commercial tuna catch was 4.8 million tonnes, a 4% decrease from 2014. More than half of the total catch (58%) was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (28%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas accounted for only 1% of the global catch. These percentages did not change from the February 2017 report.
  • Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 57% of the 23 stocks are at a healthy level of abundance (an increase of 5% from the previous report), 17% are overfished, and 26% are at an intermediate level.
    • Stocks receiving orange scores, indicating overfishing or overfished status, include both Southern Hemisphere and Pacific Ocean bluefin, Indian Ocean yellowfin, and Atlantic bigeye.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 65% of the stocks (an 8% improvement since the previous report) are experiencing a low fishing mortality rate, and 13% are experiencing overfishing.
  • Largest catches by stock: The three largest catches in tonnes are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, and Indian Ocean yellowfin.
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 64% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (12%), pole-and-line (9%), gillnets (4%) and miscellaneous gears (11%).

For the first time in Status of the Stocks history, the November 2017 report features an appendix with a list of fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

“The MSC fishery certification scheme is the most widely recognized indicator of seafood sustainability,” explains Dr. Victor Restrepo, Vice President of Science, ISSF. “The list helps us to track the tuna stocks and fishing gears that are certified.”

About the Report
There are 23 stocks of major commercial tuna species worldwide – 6 albacore, 4 bigeye, 4 bluefin, 5 skipjack, and 4 yellowfin stocks. The Status of the Stocks summarizes the results of the most recent scientific assessments of these stocks, as well as the current management measures adopted by the RFMOs. In addition, this report ranks the status and management of the 23 stocks using a consistent methodology based on three factors: Abundance, Exploitation/Management (fishing mortality) and Environmental Impact (bycatch).

ISSF produces two reports annually that seek to provide clarity about where we stand —and how much more needs to be done – to ensure the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks: the Status of the Stocks provides a comprehensive analysis of tuna stocks by species, and the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria provides a review of the health of tuna fisheries by region. The MSC-certified fisheries list (Appendix 2) in Status of the Stocks complements the Evaluation report.

Together, these tools help to define the continuous improvement achieved, as well as the areas and issues that require more attention. Access the newly updated ISSF stock status ratings here.

Key Questions Answered by the Report
Status of the Stocks answers three key questions about each tuna stock:

  1. Is the stock overfished?
    A. The report measures the abundance of fish that are able to reproduce each year, called the spawning stock biomass (SSB), and compares it to an estimate of the biomass that would produce maximum sustainable yield (SSBMSY), which is the spawning biomass that results in the highest average catches in the long-term (this is a target of fisheries management). When SSB is below SSBMSY the stock is in an “overfished” state.

Overfishing doesn’t necessarily mean that the stock is in immediate danger of extinction or collapse — it means that currently, the fish aren’t being allowed to grow and reproduce at their most productive level. If a stock is overfished, the report will note any corrective measures being taken by the relevant fisheries management organization (RFMO).

  1. Is it in danger of becoming overfished?
  2. The report measures the fishing mortality rate (F), a measure of fishing intensity, and compares it to the fishing mortality that produces maximum sustainable yield (FMSY). When F is above FMSY, the stock is in danger of becoming overfished in the future. This is called overfishing. If overfishing is taking place, the report will note any corrective measures being taken.
  3. Are the methods used to catch the tuna also catching significant numbers of non-targeted species?
  4. The report also measures the environmental impact of fishing in terms of “bycatch” rates. Bycatch is any species caught by the boat that is not the kind of fish the skipper is searching for. All fishing methods result in some bycatch of non-target species. The report identifies the relative bycatch rates by fishing gear and reports on mitigation measures adopted by the RFMOs for various species groups.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — the world’s leading conservation organization — promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health.

To learn more visit their website at issf-foundation.org.

ISSF Requires Tuna Processors Worldwide to Purchase Only from Companies that Meet Sustainability Criteria

October 26, 2017 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Seafood processors, traders, and marketers can accelerate the path to globally sustainable tuna fisheries by purchasing many of their tuna products from suppliers that meet strict sustainability criteria, according to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), which has released a new conservation measure for its participating companies to follow.

ISSF Conservation Measure 2.4: Purchase Requirements from ISSF Participating Companies to Enhance the Effectiveness of ISSF Conservation Measures requires that the nearly 30 ISSF participating companies purchase tuna products — with specific parameters as explained in full text of the measure — primarily from other suppliers that are ISSF participants. Any tuna supplier that chooses to follow ISSF conservation measures, commits to the ISSF compliance audit process, and successfully completes an initial audit of if traceability system, may apply to become an ISSF participating company.

“Conservation Measure 2.4 provides the foundational framework for our market influence strategy by requiring all stakeholders in the tuna trade to adhere to the same standards that ISSF Participating Companies are held to and audited against,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson.

“The structure of many ISSF conservation measures means that sustainability best practices — from bycatch mitigation to observer coverage — already flow throughout a participating company’s supply chain,” continued Jackson. “But this new measure accelrates these sustainability best practices among a greater portion of the tuna industry. More companies will be subject to the independent audit and reporting process that ISSF participation requires — a transparency and accountability win for the industry, the market and for the long-term health of the world’s tuna fisheries.”

Closing the Data Gaps — and More — in a Complex Supply Chain

The new conservation measure applies to seafood suppliers that either (1) trade 10,000 or more tons of tuna annually (effective January 1, 2019) or (2) process more than 12,500 round tons annually (effective January 1, 2020). These medium- and large-sized organizations are critical components of the complex, international seafood supply chain.

Conservation Measure 2.4 was originally recommended to the ISSF Board by ISSF’s Environmental Stakeholder and Scientific Advisory Committees to reduce existing gaps in the receipt of data by tuna RFMO scientific bodies – gaps that a fragmented and global supply chain can perpetuate. Specifically, the committee intended that a greater number of tuna companies be beholden to ISSF conservation measure 2.2, which requires participating companies to submit species and catch data to RFMOs quarterly because “the scientific findings of the RFMO scientific bodies depend on the completeness and accuracy of the supporting data available to them.”

In effect, Conservation Measure 2.4 will expand industry commitment to best practices beyond RFMO data submission, as ISSF’s suite of more than 20 conservation measures encompasses RFMO support; transparency and data collection; bycatch mitigation; monitoring, control and surveillance; illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing; capacity management; and more.

Conservation Measure 2.4 states that ISSF Participating Companies shall:

  1. Beginning January 1, 2019, for purchases from fish trading organizations that trade 10,000 tons or more of tuna annually (not directly from fishing vessels), purchase all round; gilled and gutted; or headed, gilled and gutted albacore, skipjack, yellowfin and/or bigeye tuna from ISSF Participating Companies.

 

  1. Effective January 1, 2020, if purchasing from processing organizations that purchase and process more than 12,500 round tons per year, purchase all frozen loins or processed, shelf-stable, canned or pouched products of albacore, skipjack, yellowfin and/or bigeye tuna from ISSF Participating Companies.

About ISSF Conservation Measures & Compliance

ISSF is a global partnership among scientists, the tuna industry and the environmental non-governmental community whose mission is to undertake science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health.

Since its inception in 2009, ISSF has adopted conservation measures and commitments to facilitate this mission with the intent that processors, traders, marketers and others involved in the seafood industry will follow them to facilitate real and continuous improvement across global tuna stocks. ISSF Participating Companies commit to conform to these conservation measures to improve the long-term health of tuna fisheries. They also must adhere to the ISSA Compliance Policy.

 ISSF-participating tuna companies, which represent about 75% of the global canned-tuna market and include well-known brand names, are audited yearly by MRAG Americas on their operational transparency and compliance with ISSF conservation measures.

 Becoming an ISSF Participating Company

Tuna companies interested in participating in ISSF sustainability programs can apply for International Seafood Sustainability Association membership. Tuna vessels that want to be identified with transparency and sustainable fishing practices can apply to be listed on ISSF’s ProActive Vessel Register.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
 
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — the world’s leading conservation organization — promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health. To learn more, visit iss-foundation.org, and follow ISSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
To learn more visit their website at issf-foundation.org.

Pacific Northwest fishing industry took big hit in 2015

November 1, 2016 — ILWACO, Washington — Demonstrating links between ocean health and the economy, the definitive annual federal report on U.S. fisheries released last week showed a plunge in some West Coast catches in 2015.

Washington state’s total commercial catch in 2015 was 363 million pounds valued at $274.2 million, a decline of 35 percent by volume and 23.5 percent by value from 2014, according to “Fisheries of the United States 2015,” published last week by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

But all was not gloom and doom: For example, West Coast landings of shrimp and albacore tuna were up, despite the warmer and less-nutritious waters associated with the ocean heat wave dubbed the Blob. This patch of warm water off the Pacific Northwest began forming in 2013 and persisted for two years before temporarily dissipating.

Oregon’s commercial landings also were down, falling to about 195.5 million pounds last year, 33 percent less than in 2014. That catch was sold for $115.7 million, 26.6 percent less than 2014.

How ports compare

Ports on the U.S. Pacific mainland experienced downturns in 2015 compared to 2014.

The ports of Ilwaco and Chinook reported landings of 15 million pounds in 2015, down 44.5 percent from 2014 and less than half 2013’s total. Ilwaco/Chinook 2015 landings were the lowest since at least 2010 and dropped the ports out of the U.S. top-50 list.

Astoria was the mainland West Coast’s largest fishing port in 2015, with landings of 92 million pounds, down 24.6 percent from 2014. Westport was second, with 84 million pounds in 2015 landings, off 16 percent from 2014. Newport was in third place, with 65 million tons in 2015, 47.6 percent less than 2014.

Read the full story at the Chinook Observer

The Majority of the Tuna Catch Comes from Abundant Stocks, But Overfishing of Some Stocks Continues

September 22, 2016 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The global commercial catch of tuna — a valuable, natural protein food source — reached 5 million tons in 2014, an increase from 4.6 million in 2013, according to the ISSF Tuna Stock Status Update – 2016 (Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna) report just published by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). The report can be downloaded from the ISSF Status of the Stocks page. Tuna accounts for approximately 6% of the world’s 81.5-million-ton marine catch.

The skipjack tuna species accounted for 57% of the tuna catch, followed by yellowfin (27%), bigeye (9%), albacore (6%) and bluefin (1%). Purse seine vessels harvested 64% of the tuna, followed by longline methods (12%), pole-and-line (9%), gillnets (4%) and miscellaneous fishing gear types (11%).

The ISSF report indicates that 77% of the total volume of tuna catch worldwide in 2014 was from stocks at a “healthy level of abundance.” Previous Tuna Stock Status Update reports showed 78% of tuna catch from healthy stocks in 2014 (from a preliminary report in February 2016), 87% in 2013, 86% in 2012, and 94% in 2011.

From a perspective of tuna stocks, 44% of tuna stocks globally are at a healthy level of abundance, and 39% are overfished. Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) bigeye tuna, for example, continues to be slightly overfished and was downgraded from a Green (healthy abundance) rating to a Yellow (intermediate) rating since the previous February 2016 report. Other overfished stocks were Western Pacific Ocean (WPO) bigeye, Atlantic Ocean (AO) bigeye, and Indian Ocean (IO) yellowfin.

Tuna Stock Status Update also reports on tuna management measures recently enacted by tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). Significant newly adopted measures covered in the report include the adoption by the IOTC (Indian Ocean Tuna Commission) of harvest control rules (HCRs) for skipjack tuna, as well as a plan for rebuilding the overfished IO yellowfin stock. The IATTC (Inter-American-Tropical-Tuna-Commission, in the EPO) also adopted an HCR for tropical tuna species.

“While 77% of the world’s tuna catch comes from healthy stocks, it is important to remember that there are four stocks — representing 13% of the catch — that are being overfished,” explains Dr. Victor Restrepo, ISSF Vice President, Science. “Even though there are management measures in place for them, these measures are proving to be insufficient to end overfishing — and a greater effort is required.”