Saving Seafood

87% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels, While 10% Require Stronger Management

December 10, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Of the total commercial tuna catch worldwide, 87% came from stocks at “healthy” levels of abundance, according to the newest International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. In addition, 10% of the total tuna catch came from overfished stocks and 3% from stocks at an intermediate level of abundance. The previous version of this report was published by ISSF in March 2020. This updated report reflects results of tuna RFMO meetings through October 2020, and the next version will include results of RFMO meetings that have taken place more recently or are taking place now.

Several tuna stocks worldwide are considered overfished and/or subject to overfishing:

  • The Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Pacific bluefin tuna stocks are currently overfished and subject to overfishing.
  • Indian Ocean albacore and bigeye are subject to overfishing.
  • All skipjack and most albacore stocks are healthy.

Ratings for the following species have changed since last reported in March: 

  • The abundance rating for Eastern Pacific Ocean bigeye has been downgraded from green to yellow, but the fishing mortality rating of that stock has improved from orange to yellow.
  • Both the fishing mortality rate ratio and abundance rating for Eastern Pacific Ocean yellowfin have improved from orange to green. This was primarily due to changes in the stock assessment methodology used.

ISSF publishes its signature Status of the Stocks report twice each year using the most current scientific data on 23 major commercial tuna stocks.

Key Statistics in the Report

  • Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 65% of the 23 stocks are at healthy levels of abundance, 13% are overfished and 22% are at an intermediate level.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 74% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate, and 22% are experiencing overfishing.
  • Total catch: The catch of major commercial tuna stocks was 5.2 million tonnes in 2018, an 8% increase from 2017. 58% was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (29%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas accounted for 1% of the global catch.
  • Largest tuna catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes, unchanged since the previous report, are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack.
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 65% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (10%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (4%) and miscellaneous gears (13%).  These percentages changed minimally since the previous report.

The Status of the Stocks report is reviewed by the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee, which provides advice on its content. The report does not advocate any particular seafood purchase decisions.

The Pandemic’s Impact on the Status of the Stocks  

This is the first update to this report since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic started to impact the work of the RFMOs. In particular, meetings of the scientific committees and commissions have been scheduled on different dates than usual, and this has delayed this update.

Furthermore, readers should be aware that RFMOs issued exemptions to certain monitoring requirements such as observer coverage. As such, the summaries of management measures provided for the stocks, particularly in relation to observer coverage, may not be completely accurate in reflecting the monitoring that is ongoing during this exceptional period.

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. Updated twice per year, Status of the Stocks assigns color ratings (green, yellow or orange) using a consistent methodology based on three factors: Abundance, Exploitation/Management (fishing mortality) and Environmental Impact (bycatch).

ISSF produces two Status of the Stocks reports annually 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 presents a comprehensive analysis of tuna stocks by species, and the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Criteria provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on MSC assessment criteria. 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.

In addition, ISSF maintains a data-visualization tool based on its Status of the Stocks report. The “Interactive Stock Status Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna abundance and exploitation health indicators by catch or stock and filter by location and species as well as be informed about the share of total catch by species/stocks and gear types.

IATTC leaves tropical tuna unmanaged as meeting fails to reach consensus by one vote

December 8, 2020 — The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) has failed to reach a consensus on the management of tropical tunas by one vote – with Colombia opposing the resolution – leaving tuna fisheries without any rules starting on 1 January.

The tropical tuna fishery – which includes bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tuna stocks – includes billions of dollars of catch. With the failure to reach a consensus – the first time in the IATTC’s history – the fishery is left without any form of management, including quotas, gear types, and more. While individual countries can choose to implement regulations matching the proposed IATTC resolution, region-wide rules will end.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Eastern Pacific Tuna Fishing Will Be Unregulated After January 1

December 8, 2020 — The international rules and regulations covering the catch of tuna in the Eastern Pacific are about to go away. On January 1, the fisheries for bigeye, skipjack and yellowfin tuna will be wide open and ungoverned because the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission concluded its annual meeting without an agreement, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Guillermo Moran, the headof Ecuadorian fishing industry group Tuna Conservation Group (Tunacons), told Undercurrent News that the only nation standing in the way of the 2021 regulatory scheme was Colombia. IATTC operates by consensus, and without 100 percent agreement, the group cannot issue regulations.

“For the first time in its 70-year history, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission has completely withdrawn from management of tropical tunas. To remedy this abdication of responsibility, IATTC and its member governments should immediately schedule a special session to set rules for 2021. Unless IATTC takes this emergency action, starting Jan. 1 there will be . . . no restrictions on what gear can be used; and no consequences for the resulting harm that may occur,” said Amanda Nickson, director of international fisheries for The Pew Charitable Trusts. “When meeting participants can’t reach consensus, the default should never be to simply suspend management of species . . . The need to responsibly manage fish stocks worldwide calls out for significant reforms in the predictability and stability of decision-making.”

Read the full story at The Maritime Executive

Western Pacific Council Pushes Bigeye Tuna Increase; OKs Industry-led Shark Mitigation Measure

December 7, 2020 — More bigeye tuna may be available for U.S. fishermen in the Pacific next year, if U.S. fishery managers can successfully negotiate the proposed increase.

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council supported the U.S. proposal to revise the conservation and management measure for tropical tunas, which expires in February 2021, and increase the U.S. bigeye tuna quota by 3,000 metric tons to 6,554 mt at the upcoming Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting next week.

Read the full story at Seafood News

U.S. Pacific Fishery Managers Urge Increase in U.S. Bigeye Tuna Quota at Upcoming Multilateral Meeting, Support New Industry-Backed Shark Conservation Measures

December 4, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council supported the U.S. proposal to revise the conservation and management measure for tropical tunas, which expires in February 2021, and increase the U.S. bigeye tuna quota by 3,000 metric tons (mt) to 6,554 mt. The annual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (Commission), an international fishery management organization, begins (virtually) next week. The stock is not overfished nor experiencing overfishing. In the past, U.S. negotiations in the Commission have failed to increase its bigeye tuna quota. The United States has the smallest catch quota of the member nations, yet it contributes the highest observer coverage and the highest compliance record. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, observer coverage has been maintained.

The United States has been generous to member countries of the Commission. In 2018, the United States Agency for International Development reported $1.6 billion went to Commission members, mainly supporting economic development. “U.S. fisheries are the best managed in the world and the Hawaiʻi longline fishery deserves an increase in their bigeye quota,” said Council Executive Director Kitty Simonds. The Council also endorsed the U.S. proposal for North Pacific striped marlin that supports meeting the rebuilding plan adopted by the Commission.

To meet Magnuson-Stevens Act domestic obligations regarding overfishing of striped marlin, the Council directed the staff to prepare a regulatory measure that uses the best scientific information available (BSIA) to reduce domestic catches relative to 2013-2017 as advised in a 2019 stock assessment.

A conservation effort developed by the Hawaiʻi deep-set longline fishing industry to further reduce interactions and post-hooking deaths of oceanic whitetip sharks, leatherback turtles and other protected species will be considered for incorporation into the Pacific Pelagic Fishery Ecosystem Plan, at the direction of the Council. The Council directed staff to prepare a regulatory amendment by its March 2021 meeting that, among other measures, evaluates options prohibiting wire leaders in the fishery.

The Hawaii Longline Association (HLA) presented its initiative to voluntarily change the fleet’s gear to the Council which met in Honolulu this week. The proposal would replace the current wire leaders used on fishing gear with monofilament ones, which are better for the species that occasionally interact with them.

“The fishing gear transition from wire to monofilament nylon leaders is transformational for our fleet,” said HLA Executive Director Eric Kingma. Council member Michael Tosatto, regional administrator of the National Marine Fisheries Service Pacific Islands Regional Office, said, “We at NOAA Fisheries applaud HLA for this proactive, positive development and we are committed to helping industry with its implementation.”

Whether or not any proposed regulatory change could be implemented before next summer, the HLA has committed to making this change on all of the vessels operated by their members no later than July 2021. The HLA is currently evaluating changes to fishing procedures to ensure that the gear change can be made while minimizing risk of injury to crewmembers.

The Council concluded the first day of its three-day virtual meeting yesterday with discussions and recommendations regarding pelagic and international fisheries. The meeting continues through Dec. 4, 2020, by web conference (Webex). Instructions on connecting to Webex, agendas and briefing documents are posted at www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars.

The Council manages federal fisheries operating in waters offshore of the State of Hawai‘i, the Territories of American Samoa and Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Areas.

Four-year forecasts possible for Hawaii bigeye tuna fishery

August 14, 2020 — Measuring the extent of microscopic ocean plant life around Hawaii could reliably predict bigeye tuna catch rates four years out for Hawaii’s deep-set longline fleet, according to a new study by researchers at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center.

“Bigeye tuna are the primary target species of Hawaii’s most valuable commercial fishery, a longline fishery with landings that are valued at over $100 million and that account for nearly half the United States tuna landings,” NMFS scientists Phoebe A. Woodworth-Jefcoats and Johanna L. K. Wren wrote in their study, published July 22 in the journal Fisheries Oceanography.

“A reliable predictor of targeted species catch rates could help the fishery time fishing activity and plan capital improvements. It could also potentially inform adaptive management and facilitate ecosystem‐based fisheries management.”

Using routine oceanographic measurements including satellite data for sea surface chlorophyll and temperature, the researchers calculated the median size of microscopic plants, called phytoplankton, over the calendar year and the extent of the fishery area around the Hawaiian Islands.

Read the full story at National Fisherman

ISSF Report Estimates at Least 1,721 Purse Seine Vessels Authorized to Fish for Tuna Worldwide Today, a Slight Decrease Since 2019 Analysis

June 17, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has updated its Large-Scale Tuna Purse Seine Fishing Fleets report as of June 2020. The total number of purse seine vessels, calculated based on data from the five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), has decreased from 1,843 in 2019 to 1,721 today.

Having an accurate estimate of active vessels is critical for managing tuna fishing capacity regionally as well as globally. Although purse seine vessels account for approximately 66 percent of the 4.9-million-tonne global tuna catch, multiple databases must be searched to compile a count of all authorized purse seine vessels. To provide an annual best estimate — and to track capacity changes from year to year — ISSF analyzes and aggregates information from the five tuna RFMOs and other sources. As the report explains, these figures still may underestimate the total fleet, because many small-scale purse seiners or purse seiners operating in only one exclusive economic zone (EEZ) do not have to be listed on RFMOs’ records of authorized fishing vessels.

The ISSF report shows approximately 696 vessels (up 1.5 percent from last year) defined as large-scale purse seine (LSPS) vessels targeting tropical tuna species (skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye), with a combined fish hold capacity of over 874,000 m3 (cubic meters).

Other report findings about the large-scale purse seine vessels targeting tropical tuna include:

  • About 17 percent of these 696 large-scale vessels are authorized to fish in more than one RFMO, which should be taken into account in any efforts to manage fishing capacity at a regional level.
  • Among the RFMOs, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) still has the highest number of LSPS registrations (349), which represents around half of the global fleet.
  • The majority of large-scale vessels (517) are registered on the ISSF ProActive Vessel Register (PVR); PVR-registered LSPS represent 74 percent in number and 83 percent in fish hold volume (FHV).

The report also covers purse-seine vessel construction, distribution, and FHV by national flag. It offers recommendations for vessel owners on the use of IMO numbers as unique vessel identifiers and for RFMOs on vessel-data collection and management. View the updated report here. View a related infographic here.

84% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels, While 15% Require Stronger Management

April 2, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Of the total commercial tuna catch worldwide, 84% came from stocks at “healthy” levels of abundance, according to the March 2020 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. In addition, 15% of the total tuna catch was from overfished stocks, and 1% was from stocks at an intermediate level of abundance. The previous version of this report was released by ISSF in October 2019.

Several tuna stocks worldwide are considered overfished and/or subject to overfishing:

  • The Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Eastern Pacific yellowfin, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Pacific bluefin tuna stocks are currently overfished and subject to overfishing.
  • Overfishing is occurring as well on three other stocks: Eastern Pacific bigeye, Indian Ocean bigeye and Indian Ocean albacore.
  • All skipjack and most albacore stocks are healthy.

Ratings for the following species have changed since last reported in October: 

  • The Spawning Biomass (SSB) ratio for Atlantic Ocean yellowfin has improved from yellow to green.
  • The fishing mortality rate ratio for Indian Ocean bigeye has downgraded from green to orange.
  • The fishing mortality ratio for Indian Ocean albacore has downgraded from green to orange.

ISSF publishes its signature Status of the Stocks report twice each year using the most current scientific data on 23 major commercial tuna stocks.

Key Statistics in the Report

  • ​​Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 65% of the 23 stocks are at healthy levels of abundance, 17.5% are overfished and 17.5% are at an intermediate level.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 70% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate, and 30% are experiencing overfishing.
  • Total catch: In 2018, the catch of major commercial tuna stocks was 5.1 million tonnes. 58% was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (29%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas accounted for 1% of the global catch.
  • Largest tuna catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes, unchanged since the previous report, are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack.
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 66% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (10%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (4%) and miscellaneous gears (12%).  These percentages changed minimally since the previous report.

The Status of the Stocks report is reviewed by the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee, which provides advice on its content. The report does not advocate any particular seafood purchase decisions.

Western Pacific Council Recommends 2020 Bigeye Tuna Catch, Allocations for U.S. Pacific Territories

March 17, 2020 — The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council in Honolulu recommended that the federal catch limits for longline-caught bigeye tuna for the U.S. Territories of American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands for fishing year 2020 remain at 2,000 metric tons each and the allocation limits be up to 1,500 mt each with a cap of 3,000 mt overall.

Previously, the allocation limits were up to 1,000 mt for each Territory. The new allocation limits and cap ensure that the potential environmental impact remains the same while allowing the territories more flexibility in their allocation choices. The Council’s recommendation from last week’s meeting will be reviewed by the Secretary of Commerce for approval, according to a press release from the Council.

Read the full story at Seafood News

Meeting on Management of US Pacific Island Fisheries Next Week Allows Web Participation

March 9, 2020 — The following was released by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council:

Members of the public concerned about the coronavirus can participate in next week’s 181st meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council by web conference. The public may also participate in person in the March 10 to 12 meeting 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the YWCA Atherton Hall, 1040 Richards St., Honolulu, and the associated Fishers Forum on Hawai’i fisheries from 6 to 9 p.m. in the upstairs ballroom at Aloha Tower Marketplace, 1 Aloha Tower, Honolulu.

Key agenda items for the meeting include annual catch limits for the bottomfish fisheries of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) for fishing years 2020-2023; revisions to the list of federally managed bottomfish species in American Samoa, Guam and the CNMI; catch and allocation limits for longline-caught bigeye tuna in the US Pacific Island territories for fishing year 2020; and marine conservation plans for Guam, CNMI and the Pacific Remote Island Areas.

To participate by web conference: Go to https://wprfmc.webex.com/join/info.wpcouncilnoaa.gov. You may connect to the audio via the computer or telephone. If you use the telephone for the audio, sign into Webex via your computer first and look for the “call in” prompt to obtain the call-in instructions and a participant number.

Instructions for making public comment via Webex: Public comments will be taken at the end of each agenda section for items relevant to the applicable agenda section only. Comments on non-agenda items will be taken at 4 p.m. on March 10. To make a public comment, send a private chat message via Webex to the “host (Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council)” prior to the start of the public comment period of the applicable agenda section. Your name will be added to the public comment queue. Keep your audio connection muted until you are acknowledged by the chair to speak.

For more information on the meeting and Fishers Forum, go to www.wpcouncil.org/meetings-calendars/ or contact the Council at info@wpcouncil.org or (808) 522-8220.