The Bellagio Conference on Sustainable Tuna Fisheries was held to develop an analysis of key issues that are vital for the management of tuna fisheries to ensure sustainable fish stocks and healthy ecosystems, while providing fair access to the fisheries for all participants, and retaining profitability of the industry.
The international fisheries for tunas, billfish and other highly migratory species are at a critical juncture. Excluding bluefin tuna and some yellowfin and bigeye stocks, most tuna stocks are in reasonably good health. However, high demand provides an incentive for excess harvesting, which has led to excess fleet capacity. This is currently contributing to overfishing of some stocks of tuna, inhibiting the taking of appropriate management measures, and creating economic inefficiencies and unless controlled, poses a serious threat to the health of most of the world’s tuna stocks as well as causing erosion of economic benefits, waste of capital, and heightened conflict among states over a fixed or steadily declining resource base.
Urgent action is required. Simply put, the global growth in fishing capacity must be curtailed and fleets reduced. The time is ripe to address these problems and their root causes. Success will require the use of new approaches including rights-based management.
The Conference addressed the following key issues:
- Causes of overcapacity;
- Controlling capacity;
- Shifting to rights-based management and allocation; and
- Effective monitoring, compliance and enforcement.
Sample management options, included in this report, were developed to illustrate discussion points. The conference assembled a global group of distinguished academic, government, industry and NGO participants to engage in debate and discussion in a collaborative and neutral venue. The conference participants took part in their personal capacity, and are listed in Annex 1.
This conference was inspired by the late James Joseph and reflects the passion he brought to improving the management of tuna fisheries through the application of rights-based management.
