Saving Seafood

ISSF: WCPFC December meeting is chance to review tuna measures

November 30, 2018 — All of the tuna stocks under the oversight of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), except for Pacific bluefin, are at “green” or healthy levels, the International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF) reports.

However, the WCPFC meeting scheduled for Dec. 9-14, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a chance to review supporting measures proposed by ISSF and also the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to better preserve tropical tuna species, suggest Claire van der Geest, an ISSF strategy policy advisor, and Bubba Cook, the WWF’s western and central Pacific Ocean tuna program manager, in a blog posted this week by ISSF.

Those include strengthening the management of fish aggregating devices (FADs) by using non-entangling designs and also improving the management of at-sea transshipment practices to reduce Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activities as well as bad labor practices.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

ISSF expands reach across longline tuna sector

November 21, 2018 — The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has announced the adoption of two new conservation measures “to facilitate continuous improvement across global tuna fisheries”.

ISSF also amended two of its existing conservation measures. Adoption of the new measures back the expansion of its efforts to the longline fishing sector, doubling the number of measures that apply to longline vessels specifically, the first of which were adopted in April 2017.

All ISSF conservation measures directly affect how nearly 30 global seafood companies environmentally manage their respective tuna supply chains, it said.

“Our work at ISSF is ever evolving. We regularly review ISSF conservation measures to update existing standards or to create new commitments in line with the latest fisheries research or to address conservation needs,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “With about 75% of the world’s canned tuna processing capacity conforming to dozens of ISSF measures for sustainability best practices — and with major tuna companies being transparently audited against these measures — we are driving unique and positive change across the world’s tuna fisheries.”

The ISSF ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) is a public internet database that tracks detailed vessel information and how vessels are following science-based practices that support sustainable tuna fisheries. MRAG Americas, a third party, independent auditor, audits vessels that join the PVR with respect to these practices; vessels that join the PVR commit to provide regular, accurate information about those activities. Because the PVR brings transparency to the tuna supply chain, ISSF has worked to increase the number of fishing vessels on the Register lists — from less than 200 vessels in 2012, the year it was launched, to more than 1,000 as of Oct. 31, 2018.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

 

86% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels, Some Stocks Remain Overfished

November 8, 2018 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Of the total tuna catch, 86% came from stocks at “healthy” levels, an 8% increased share of the total catch since last reported, according to an October 2018 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. Skipjack tuna stocks — at healthy levels in all ocean regions — still comprise more than one-half of the total catch.

Though many of the broad indicators of overall global stock health remain unchanged, there were several notable changes for specific commercial tuna species:

The assessment for Western and Central Pacific bigeye was more optimistic, showing that the stock is not overfished and that recent management measures put in place by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) appear to be working effectively.

Atlantic Ocean bigeye received a pessimistic stock assessment from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and remains overfished. In 2017, Atlantic bigeye catches exceeded the total allowable catch (TAC) by approximately 20%. ISSF has long advocated that ICCAT adopt stock-specific management measures to effectively control the catch of bigeye and other overfished species in the region including Atlantic yellowfin.

Catches of Eastern Pacific bigeye in 2017 increased 10% from 2016 levels. The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Council (IATTC) conducted an update assessment of the stock that appears to indicate that the stock is experiencing overfishing. The results should be viewed with caution due to the high levels of uncertainty in the assessment. Nevertheless, several fishery indicators suggest that the management measures in place are insufficient to effectively control fishing.

The stock status of South Pacific albacore is confirmed as very healthy, but the stock assessment covers only the WCPFC Convention Area South of the equator, not taking into consideration part of the catches from the IATTC Convention Area (EPO).

There were no other major changes in tuna stock status since the previous February 2018 Status of the Stocks report; the updated report reflects new data made available at 2018 tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) meetings held through October 2018.

Key Statistics in the Report

  • Total catch: In 2016, the total major commercial tuna catch was 4.9 million tonnes. More than half of the total catch (57%) was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (30%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas (3 species) accounted for only 1% of the global catch. These percentages changed only slightly from the February 2018 report.
  • Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 65% of the 23 stocks are at a healthy level of abundance, 13% are overfished and 22% are at an intermediate level. In terms of total catch, 86% come from healthy stocks, 10% from overfished stocks and 4% from stocks at an intermediate level. Unchanged from the last reporting, the stocks receiving orange scores — indicating overfished status — remain Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Pacific Ocean bluefin and Indian Ocean yellowfin.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 70% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate and 17% are experiencing overfishing.
  • Largest catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack.
  • Tuna production by ocean region: Most (53%) of the world’s tuna is harvested from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, followed by the Indian Ocean (20%), Eastern Pacific Ocean (13%) and Atlantic Ocean (10%).
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 65% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (12%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (3%) and miscellaneous gears (12%). These percentages have not changed since the February report.

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 several times 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 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 (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 “Status of the Stocks Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna stock health indicators and filter by location, species and other key stock health and catch factors.

ISSF to ICCAT: Rebuild Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna Stocks; Improve FAD Data Reporting; and Strengthen Monitoring, Control and Surveillance

November 6, 2018 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has released its position statement in advance of the 21st Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Dubrovnik, Croatia, on 12-19 November 2018.

“The 2018 assessment of bigeye tuna shows that the stock is overfished and subject to overfishing, and yellowfin may also be subject to overfishing. ICCAT must take urgent action,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson.

“This time last year, ICCAT scientists were reporting that the established catch limits for bigeye and yellowfin had been exceeded in 2016 by 11% and 16%, respectively. Fast-forward to today and the bigeye catch limit has been exceeded by 20 percent, and yellowfin catch limit by 17 to 37 percent. The management of these valuable tuna stocks is getting worse, not better. More should have been done last year, and the upcoming meeting in Dubrovnik offers another chance to get it right.”

ISSF is asking ICCAT to adopt stock-specific management measures in line with the advice of the ICCAT scientific committee, which includes: appropriate and fully-allocated catch levels so that ICCAT member countries can know their individual limits; capacity limits that are commensurate with these allocations; and provisions to ensure catches are in compliance with the limits. ICCAT must also consider alternative means to reduce the mortality of bigeye and yellowfin tuna in the purse seine fishery—measures like strengthened FAD management, limitations on the use of supply and support vessels, and expanded time/area closures and effort controls.

Read the full release here

ISSF Adds Two Prominent NGO Scientists to Its Advisory Board

November 1, 2018 — SEAFOOD NEWS — The ISSF (International Sustainable Seafood Foundation) representing the global tuna industry does not fool around when making appointment of NGO and Sustainability scientists to its boards and committees.

The two most recent appointments are among the recognized leaders in their fields.

ISSF has appointed Dr. Tom Pickerell as chair of its Environmental Stakeholder Committee. Pickerell is the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) Global Tuna Director responsible for SFP’s tuna work program, including the global fresh and frozen tuna supply chain roundtable and canned tuna program. Before joining SFP, he worked for Seafish, where he was the Technical Director. Previous to that role, Dr. Pickerell was the Senior Science Manager for the Seafood Watch program at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Earlier, Dr. Pickerell worked at WWF UK as the Fisheries Policy Officer and at Defra, where he held a variety of different policy and strategy roles in fisheries and aquaculture.

“Dr. Pickerell’s leadership experience at some of the foremost environmental NGOs has made him an excellent resource for the ESC,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “We are honored and thankful that he and SFP are keen to increase their engagement with ISSF by assuming this leadership role.”

The second appointment was of Dr. Andrew Rosenberg to ISSF’s scientific advisory committee. Rosenberg is currently director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, and outspoken advocacy organization. Rosenberg has also worked for more than 25 years with NOAA and NMFS, starting in New England. He also has had a leadership role at Conservation International. Dr. Rosenberg was a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Ocean Studies Board and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. He is a professor of natural resources and the environment at the University of New Hampshire, where he previously served as dean of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, and is the author of many peer-reviewed studies and reports on fisheries and ocean management.

“Dr. Rosenberg is a force to be reckoned with, and we’re honored to have him join the Scientific Advisory Committee,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “His experience in government and nonprofit leadership, research and academia make him a true triple-threat, with a combination of experience, credibility and expertise.”

The ISSF Board receives input and information from formal and informal partners — environmental stakeholders, marine scientists, fishers, and vessel owners — who share insights from the field.

The ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) comprises some of the world’s leading marine and tuna fisheries scientists. The SAC guides ISSF’s research priorities and supports its technical reports, notably the annual Status of the Stocks report and online interactive tool. ISSF’s Environmental Stakeholder Committee (ESC) includes representatives from conservation organizations. Members of the SAC and ESC volunteer to share their expertise with ISSF.

The caliber of these appointments basically shows that ISSF is serious about its mission to bring the entire global tuna supply under sustainable fishery management. Tuna, being such an international migratory species, simply cannot be managed through individual country EEZ’s, and therefore it takes a global organization to pressure the various regional ocean commissions whose jurisdiction is established by international treaty.

Prior to the ISSF, these bodies frequently made decisions based on the lowest common denominator, as any country could veto a management decision for any reason. The growth of the ISSF has begun to put science behind the managment policies, and has resulted in slow progress towards establishing harvest control rules, capacity limits, and other mechanisms to preserve the long term viability of the global tuna catch.

This story was originally published on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission.

ISSF Wants Concrete Progress on Harvest Strategies in the Indian Ocean

May 21, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:   

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) published its position statement in advance of the 22nd Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in Bangkok, Thailand, May 21-25.  One of ISSF’s highest priority items for IOTC is to advance the region’s management strategy evaluations (MSE) for albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna, which have not been fully evaluated; adopt species-specific harvest strategies; and conduct a review of limit reference points to pave the way for the adoption of harvest control rules by 2019.

“ISSF is concerned that the Commission’s progress on harvest control rules (HCRs) for stocks that need stricter and more targeted management has slowed, based in part on a lack of resources for its critically important harvest strategy work,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson.

“The Commission has taken steps over the last three years to demonstrate its intention to implement carefully planned harvest strategies, but has made little progress on execution this year. It’s important that the Commission regains momentum at the upcoming Annual Session in Bangkok. That starts with considering the Science Committee endorsed MSE outcomes and taking other needed decisions in line with Resolution 15/10 that will lead to the adoption of HCRs next year.”

Observer Coverage and Electronic Monitoring

In the position statement, ISSF also advocates for intensified FAD management measures — including of supply and tender vessels; full implementation of a non-entangling Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) requirement; and regional support for projects that test biodegradable FADs.

Additionally, ISSF asks IOTC to:

  • Require 100 percent observer coverage on large-scale purse seine vessels
  • Increase longline observer coverage to 20 percent
  • Develop standards so that electronic monitoring can be used to ultimately achieve 100 percent observer coverage in both purse-seine and longline fisheries
  • Strengthen the IOTC compliance assessment process
ISSF urges IOTC to move forward with harvest strategies for all species within its purview. IOTC’s own science committee reports that:
  • Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna is overfished with 67.7 percent probability.
  • Billfish, such as black and striped marlin, in the Indian Ocean are overfished, with 80 percent and 60 percent probability, respectively.
  • Longtail tuna, a species critical to the region’s food security, is overfished with 67 percent probability.

Harvest Strategies, which include target and limit reference points (TRPs and LRPs) together with harvest control rules, provide pre-agreed rules for the management of fisheries resources and action to be taken in response to changes in stock status. Pre-agreed rules and strategies enable prompt management action to avoid overfishing or to rebuild stocks and reduce protracted negotiations that can lead to further declines in the stock.

Additional “asks” of IOTC from ISSF this year include:

  • Retain overall catch reductions contained in IOTC Resolution 17/01 to prevent overfishing of Indian Ocean yellowfin and other species, which requires the Commission to rigorously evaluate the resolution’s effectiveness when the results of the next stock assessment are available and ensure that all relevant parties comply with the resolution.
  • Like last year, ISSF advocates for strengthened monitoring, control and surveillance measures to support data collection and the implementation of harvest strategies.

Read the full position statement here.

ISSF and Fisheries Improvement

ISSF’s goal is to improve the sustainability of global tuna stocks by developing and implementing verifiable, science-based practices, commitments and international management measures that result in tuna fisheries meeting the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification standard without conditions.

ISSF’s appeals to IOTC — and RFMOs in all ocean regions — align with MSC performance indicators that comprise the principles of the MSC certification standard: Principle 1, Sustainable fish stocks; Principle 2, Minimizing environmental impacts; and Principle 3, Effective management.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF)

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. Helping global tuna fisheries meet sustainability criteria to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council certification standard — without conditions — is ISSF’s ultimate objective. To learn more, visit https://iss-foundation.org/, and follow ISSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

 

ISSF: How Can Tropical Tuna Purse-Seine Fisheries Become MSC Certified?

April 19, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has published a comprehensive report of recommendations, with an emphasis on fish aggregating device (FAD) usage, for purse-seine fisheries pursuing Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. ISSF 2018-05: Recommended Best Practices for Tropical Tuna Purse Seine Fisheries in Transition to MSC Certification, with Emphasis on FADs is based on MSC fishery-certification requirements and organized by MSC scoring indicators. It is intended as a practical resource for purse-seine fisheries entering into Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) to address problems, close gaps, and earn MSC certification.

The report summarizes science-based best practices for tropical tuna purse-seine fisheries with a FAD component — that is, with a portion of their sets on FAD-associated schools of tuna. Many of the practices also apply to purse-seine fishing on free-swimming tuna schools.

MSC Certification, Purse-Seine Fisheries, and FIPS

Approximately 65% of the world’s tuna is harvested from purse-seine fisheries, which have been challenged in receiving MSC certification as compared to other species fisheries. Only certain components of some purse-seine fisheries — the free-swimming school, anchored FAD, and dolphin-associated components — have been certified by MSC to date.

Helping all tuna fisheries to be sustainable and meet MSC certification standards — without conditions — is ISSF’s ultimate objective. Since FIPs are instrumental in that process, ISSF’s new five-year strategic plan, Advancing Sustainable Tuna Fisheries,emphasizes tools and resources, along with scientific expertise and RFMO advocacy, to support those improvement projects.

More than 30 tuna FIPs are active worldwide today, and many retailers and food-service providers are committed to FIPs in their seafood sourcing guidelines.

Best Practices in FAD Fishing

In Recommended Best Practices, ISSF marine scientists Ana Justel-Rubio and Dr. Victor Restrepo — who also sits on MSC’s Technical Advisory Board — reference requirements from Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and present best practices gleaned from ISSF at-sea research, skippers workshops, and other resources.

Regarding FAD use, they identify several best practices for vessels operating in a tuna purse-seine fishery seeking certification, including:

  • Comply with flag state and RFMO reporting requirements for fisheries statistics by set type
  • Voluntarily report additional data on FADs for use by RFMO science bodies
  • Support science-based limits on the overall number of FADs used and/or FAD sets
  • Use non-entangling FADs only, and promote the use of biodegradable FADs
  • Develop a FAD recovery policy, including arrangements to alert coastal countries of derelict FADs that may impact sensitive areas
  • For silky sharks (the main bycatch species in FAD sets), implement further mitigation efforts
Recommendations to Increase MSC Scores
In addition to best practices for FAD use, the report recommends strategies for fisheries to:
  •  Promote RFMO adoption of stock management measures that address all fishing gears
  •  Increase research and monitoring capabilities
  •  Improve overall compliance with RFMO requirements, including reporting of data needed for stock assessment

An appendix lists all MSC performance indicators (PIs) for each MSC Principle — Sustainable Fish Stocks (P1), Minimizing Environmental Impact (P2), and Effective Management (P3) — and their component scoring issues (SIs), identifying actions that will lead to passing scores of 80 or higher.

 

ISSF Releases Interactive “Status of the Stocks Tool”

April 5, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has developed a new data-visualization tool based on its long-running and widely followed Status of the Stocks report. The “Status of the Stocks Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna stock health indicators and filter by location, species and other key stock health and catch factors.

The tool, which requires no additional applications or access to use, offers fisheries managers, fishers, RFMOs, scientists, and other stakeholders a convenient and intuitive resource for visualizing the state of tuna stocks worldwide, covering 23 tuna stocks — including ones that have been or are overfished, as well as those at healthy levels. Offering the most current data available, it also pulls information from previous years of ISSF Status of the Stocks reports, which compile key stock health and catch data from the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).

“As part of our ongoing efforts to bring improved technology into understanding fisheries management, we developed this resource to offer a clearer picture of trends in global tuna stock health over time,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “Not only does a data visualization tool such as this allow users a customized look at the tuna stocks they are most interested in, it also offers a meaningful understanding of the impact of changes in RFMO management on those tuna stocks over time.”

For example, the number of stocks well-managed in terms of fishing mortality has increased from 8 (35%) in 2012 to 15 (65%) in 2018, demonstrating the improvement of management measures put in place by the RFMOs. Improved management measures lead to stock rebuilding, as in the case of bluefin tuna stocks, where 100% of the catch came from overfished stocks in 2013, versus just 26.5% of the catch in 2018. The tool can also be used to monitor those stocks for which management has been effective and, therefore, resulted in maintained healthy levels of abundance over time (e.g., skipjack stocks).

The tool was developed by ISSF’s science and communications teams and was reviewed by the scientists on the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee.

Interactive Tool Design

The tool, built using Tableau technology, features two tabs — one for visualizing tuna stock health trends since 2011, and another for visualizing the recent tuna catch by fishing method.

Users can generate a variety of customized and exportable graphics within the tool based on the parameters they choose in the checkboxes (such as “ocean location”) or buttons. By hovering or clicking on the graphics, users can see percentages and other details.

On the Stock Health tab, data can be filtered first by tuna species and ocean region. The user can choose between visualizing data relative to total catch or to number of stocks, and between ratings on stock abundance or on fishing mortality. As a result, the corresponding area graph is generated. Like the Status of the Stocks reports, the tool uses a color rating system: green (“healthy”), yellow (“intermediate”), and orange (“needs improvement”).

The Catch tab currently features data from 2016, the most recent year for which complete catch data are available. Gear type data can be filtered by ocean location to generate a bar chart.

ISSF’s “Status of the Stocks Tool” will be updated as new iterations of the Status of the Stocks Reportare released. To access the most recent Status of the Stocks report in full, click here.

About the ISSF Status of the Stocks 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. 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 also produces a complementary report, the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria (MSC) which provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on MSC assessment criteria. The MSC-certified fisheries list (Appendix 2) inStatus 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.

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. Helping global tuna fisheries meet sustainability criteria to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council certification standard — without conditions — is ISSF’s ultimate objective. To learn more, visit iss-foundation.org, and follow ISSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram(@issf.official).

 

ISSF Skipper Workshops Reached Record-High Number of Tuna Fishers in 2017

March 15, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Skippers’ Workshop programmarked its most successful year on record in 2017, reaching 794 participants, with tuna purse-seine skippers (457) and crew (238) comprising the majority (88 percent) of attendees. Other workshop participants included vessel owners and officials.

Since 2009, ISSF has been conducting workshops worldwide that unite fishers from tropical tuna fleets with scientists and other stakeholders to discuss methods for reducing shark and other bycatch, especially during Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) fishing. ISSF partners with Azti-Tecnalia, a Spanish technological research center for marine and food innovation, to conduct its skippers workshops.

Last year, ISSF added new workshop locations, including Zhoushan, China and Ambon, Makassar, and Manado, Indonesia. Eighteen skippers workshops were conducted across 10 different countries, covering fleets in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Eastern Pacific Ocean. Since their inception, ISSF workshops have attracted more than 3,000 participants — including more than 1,700 skippers, enough to put nearly two ISSF-trained fishers on each large purse seine vessel operating today.

Notable activities in and findings from 2017 workshops include:

  • Rising acceptance of biodegradable FADs to reduce marine debris, with initiatives like the one in the Indian Ocean, Project BIOFAD, with participation from Spanish and French fleets
  • Continued success in advancing the use of lower-entanglement-risk FADs and non-entangling FADs by fleets in three out of the four major tuna fishing regions
  • Wide acceptance of best bycatch release methods, with some fleets applying them daily
  • Fisher support for technology to remotely identify the presence of small bigeye and yellowfin tuna at FADs
  • Discussion of options to reduce FAD impacts, including limiting FAD numbers, FAD closures, or prohibiting supply vessels

Now in its second year, ISSF’s “Train-the-Trainer” program in Indonesia reached small-vessel tuna purse-seine captains in seven workshops. These local trainers will enable the program to reach more skippers in remote locations across the archipelago.

“Our skippers workshops continue to be the best method for ensuring that our research findings on FAD management and bycatch reduction result in positive shifts on the water,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “Not only are we able to share best practices as we gain more scientific knowledge, but we are also able to gain valuable insight directly from the fishers who spend their working hours fishing for tuna. It’s education that goes both ways.”

All 2017 successes are outlined in the recently published ISSF Technical Report ISSF Skippers’ Workshops Round 7. The report includes details on each 2017 workshop, photos, and graphs showing fisher participation and acceptance of best practices. It also features a “Novel ideas and improvements for mitigation activities” section.

Skippers’ workshop attendance fulfills the requirement for ISSF conservation measure 3.4.

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).

 

State of Tuna Stocks Worldwide Assessed in Comprehensive ISSF Report

Global tuna catch stays at 78% healthy level

March 8, 2018 — WASHINGTON — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Of the total tuna catch in 2016, 78% came from stocks at “healthy” levels, unchanged since last reported, according to a February 2018 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. Skipjack tuna stocks — at healthy levels in all ocean regions — constituted more than one-half of the 2016 total catch.

One notable change in stock status in the February 2018 Status report is for Southern bluefin tuna, a stock that has moved from orange to yellow in abundance ratings. Stock abundance is low, about 13% of the unfished level. However, the stock is rebuilding continuously as a result of the implementation of a robust Management Procedure (a Harvest Strategy) by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, the regional organization in charge of managing the stock. In contrast, the Pacific bluefin stock, along with the Indian Ocean yellowfin stock and the Atlantic Ocean bigeye stock remain overfished. See Tables 1 and 2 in the report for specific rating changes.

There were no dramatic changes in tuna stock status since the previous November 2017 Status report; the updated report reflects new data made available at late 2017 tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) meetings.

Updated several times per year, Status of the Stocks assigns color ratings (green, yellow or orange) on stock heath, stock management, and ecosystem impact. The report ranks the 23 stocks of major commercial tunas around the world using a consistent methodology.

Key Statistics in the Report

  • Total catch: In 2016, the total major commercial tuna catch was 4.9 million tonnes, a 2% increase from 2015. More than half of the total catch (57%) was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (30%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas (3 species) accounted for only 1% of the global catch. These percentages changed only slightly from the Nov. 2017 reporting period. 
  • Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 57% of the 23 stocks are at a healthy level of abundance, 13% are overfished, and 30% are at an intermediate level.
  • Stocks receiving orange scores, indicating overfished status, include Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Pacific Ocean bluefin and Indian Ocean yellowfin.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 65% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate, and 13% are experiencing overfishing (with no change from the previous report).
  • Largest catches by stock: The three largest catches in tonnes are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, and Indian Ocean skipjack.
  • Tuna production by ocean region: Most (53%) of the world’s tuna is harvested from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, followed by the Indian Ocean (20%), Eastern Pacific Ocean (13%), and Atlantic Ocean (10%).
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 65% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (12%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (3%) and miscellaneous gears (12%). These percentages changed only slightly from the Nov. 2017 reporting 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. 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 (MSC) 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. Access the newly updated ISSF stock status ratings here.