Featured News
Priorities for Atlantic Ocean Tuna Fisheries
ISSF has released its position statement for the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), taking place virtually November 15-22. There are several critical measures and issues that require immediate attention by ICCAT this year.
Our Top Asks for ICCAT:
- Revise Rec. 19-02 to ensure that the bigeye and yellowfin tuna stocks are maintained at sustainable levels and catches are maintained within the TACs.
- Adopt a work plan for fish aggregating devices (FADs) with a timeframe to transition to FADs without nets and made primarily with biodegradable materials; develop recovery policies, a marking scheme and ownership rules; and require FAD position and acoustic data.
- Accelerate the adoption of harvest strategies for tropical tunas.
- Adopt minimum standards for electronic monitoring and require 100% observer coverage (human and/or electronic) for all major ICCAT fisheries, and all vessels engaged in at-sea transshipment by 2024.
- Request the Compliance Committee to address noncompliance with FAD data reporting requirements and develop audit points for ICCAT measures.
Featured Resource
RFMO Best Practices Snapshot — 2021: FAD Management
Our “snapshots” identify best practices that Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) should follow to manage tuna fisheries sustainably. In detailed tables, the snapshots compare tuna RFMO progress in implementing the practices. This “snapshot” focuses on FAD management.
Featured Content
ICYMI: From Global Tuna Stock Data to Fisheries Improvement and Best Practices, Refreshed ISSF Website Offers Data-Rich Resources for Every Tuna Sustainability Stakeholder
ISSF unveiled a refreshed website, designed to meet the diverse needs of the full spectrum of tuna sustainability stakeholders in a more accessible, user-friendly format. The updated site (iss-foundation.org) aims to elevate ISSF’s data-rich resources and tools for specialist and non-specialist users alike.
Featured Infographic
An infographic shows the size and fishing capacity of the large-scale purse-seine fleet fishing for tropical tunas worldwide, based on ISSF research. It also indicates how ISSF’s ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) vessel list helps to provide transparency of the fleet’s fishing activities, including changes in fish hold volume.
ISSF in the News
IATTC Agrees on New Tuna Measures for Next Three Years
Undercurrent News
