Skipjack tuna. (Photo: Stock File)

IOTC to set skipjack catch limit for the first time

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) will set a catch limit for the Indian Ocean skipjack fisheries for the first time, using a decision rule to offer greater transparency and predictability.

This rule, deemed an innovation for quota setting, is essentially a pre-agreed guideline for how many fish can be harvested depending on how well (or poorly) the stock is doing.

These decision rules, known as harvest control rules (HCR), enable the commission to respond swiftly to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of these highly migratory fish stocks.

Since 2013, the Maldives has been working with the IOTC to undertake a Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) for the Indian Ocean skipjack fishery, to partially fulfil the conditions of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for its domestic skipjack fishery. The guidelines developed from this work program was adopted in the 2016 by the commission and it is the first for any species under IOTC mandate.

To date, there has been no explicit catch limit for any IOTC species. In 2016 IOTC has implemented a conservation management measure that enforces a catch reduction of yellowfin tuna by 15 per cent for major fleets, in response to increasing risks of overfishing.

However, the skipjack population is considered to be healthy, and the stock is found to be neither overfished, nor subject to overfishing. It is in a better position to implement management measures to meet the commission’s objective on sustainability and yield.

The skipjack harvest control rule consists of a set of management responses to various triggers, such as a change in the stock status. It shall calculate an annual catch limit based on the stock abundance and harvest rate. The skipjack stock assessment was completed in October this year and will be reviewed by the IOTC scientific committee in December. The result will be used in the calculation. The IOTC member countries shall be notified of the catch limit that will apply for the next three years starting from 2018.

The rule will determine the quota for the whole Indian Ocean, but it will not decide how it should be divided among countries and fishing companies. In the absence of an allocation scheme, any catch reductions (if required) shall be implemented proportionally by IOTC member countries.

Due consideration will be given to the aspirations and special requirements of Developing Coastal States and Small Island Developing States. IOTC has established a Technical Committee on Allocation Criteria to develop quota allocation schemes, and its next meeting is scheduled in early 2018.

The skipjack fishery in the Indian Ocean is one of the largest tuna fisheries in the world, with annual total catches of 400,000-600,000 tons over the past decade.

The catches in the Indian Ocean in 2016 were about 446,720 tones, a 13 per cent increase from 2015. Skipjack are the smallest of the major commercial tuna species, and are the primary species in canned tuna. They are caught mainly on the surface by purse seine and pole-and-line gear and have the greatest abundance seen in equatorial waters.

 
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Address:	2nd Floor, Le Chantier Mall, Francis Rachel St
City:	Victoria
State/ZIP:	Mahé
Country:	Seychelles
Phone:	+248 22 54 94
Fax:	+248 22 43 64
E-Mail:	[email protected]
More about:

Print