Featured News
BLOG: Eastern Pacific Ocean Fisheries Managers Must Continue to Strengthen Compliance Processes and Expand Vessel Monitoring
Today, we live in an era of heightened expectations for more transparent and responsible practices across seafood supply chains. Stakeholders are increasingly appealing to regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) for stronger commitments to assess the implementation of the policies they adopt and to increase the level of on-the-water monitoring. These practices are especially important for a vital, global food resource like tuna, which is most often harvested far from shore.
Strong, transparent compliance policies and practices improve fisheries management because they hold RFMOs’ member countries accountable. Robust vessel-level monitoring is critical to effective fisheries management, compliance monitoring, and independent verification of catch and bycatch data. In recent years, IATTC has taken important steps to improve its compliance processes as well as develop vessel-based electronic monitoring (EM) programs. Yet more action is needed to further enhance the IATTC compliance regime and to put comprehensive monitoring coverage in place for all gear types.
The ISSF 2024 IATTC position statement outlines our organization’s asks related to these and other important areas. In this blog, we address why this work is crucial to sustainable fisheries management. We also recommend the specific efforts IATTC should make at its upcoming annual meeting.
Featured Graphic
Tuna RFMO Requirements for Compliance Processes
In a new infographic, ISSF benchmarks tuna RFMO requirements for compliance processes against best practices.
The infographic tracks priority areas for reform, indicating whether an RFMO has the priority reform in place, has a partial reform in place, or does not have a reform in place.
Featured Content
Common Oceans Tuna project takes stock of progress in promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainability in tuna fisheries
Achievements made in bycatch reduction, fishery management, and climate change mitigation celebrated at yearly gathering
At the annual meeting of the Common Oceans Tuna project, partners — tuna RFMOs, industry representatives, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including ISSF — took stock of progress in making tuna fisheries more sustainable and provided guidance on the continued work of the project. The meeting also underscored the partnership’s continued global commitment to preserving tuna populations and ensuring the health of our ocean ecosystems through collaborative and informed approaches.
ISSF in the News
Tuna fleet analysis shows minor capacity increase
Fisker Forum
