Although yellowfin tuna comprises almost one-third of the global tuna catch, in the Indian Ocean it’s been declared overfished for the past nine years and scientists have described the stock as being “in critical condition.” Yet countries failed to reach any agreement to reduce catches of yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) at the closely watched recent meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, the intergovernmental body that regulates fishing for tuna and tuna-like species in the region. Delegates did, however, adopt the first management measures for skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fisheries, and took steps to rein in controversial fish aggregating devices (FADs), largely used by European purse seine vessels, which represent the biggest tuna fleet in the Indian Ocean. “The EU welcomes the important decisions reached during the 28th annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), which will make fisheries in the Indian Ocean more sustainable,” the European Commission wrote in a press release, highlighting agreements reached on FADs. The Maldives, whose fleet mainly catches skipjack and yellowfin, also welcomed the overall outcome of the meeting, praising “the hard work” of the delegations of South Africa, Indonesia, South Korea, the EU, Pakistan, Mauritius and Seychelles to get the FAD measure adopted: “Maldives is pleased that after years of intense negotiations and setbacks, a drifting FAD (dFAD) management measure was adopted,” the Maldives’ Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources posted on X at the meeting’s conclusion. Observers from some conservation NGOs commented less enthusiastically about the IOTC…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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