Tuna purse seiner. (Photo Credit: MADE Project)

More fishing vessels may harm tuna stock status, a report warns

EUROPEAN UNION
Friday, June 06, 2014, 03:50 (GMT + 9)

A new report on the tuna fisheries situation in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) reveals that key tuna species status is good and that only albacore is subjected to overfishing. Nevertheless, it warns that a potential increase in fishing vessel numbers, associated to the coastal States' fleet development and to the return of some ships to the region, could threaten the stock status of both target and non-target species unless carefully monitored and controlled.

The report, which was published in January this year but released this week by European Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, stressed that the EU fleet will remain an important part of total fishing effort in the future, especially the purse seine fleet, which contributes a significant proportion of total catches.

The report also points out that the at present the EU has four active Protocols with Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique and Seychelles, and a Protocol with Mauritius, which is currently pending completion of EU internal procedures for its entry into force.

For both the EU purse seine and longline fleets, the ability to move widely throughout the WIO following the migratory patterns of tuna, means that a regional network of fishing opportunities is critical, although such a network is less important for longline vessels, which rely more heavily on fishing in high seas areas.

In addition, it highlights that some coastal countries, for example, Mozambique, Seychelles and Comoros, have plans to develop their longline fleets.

Besides, it states that all countries in the region allow some form of distant water fishing nation vessel activity, with the exception of the Maldives and India; the British Indian Ocean Territory; and Somalia, where political issues, the risk of piracy, and the lack of a declared exclusive economic zone (EEZ), all make the licensing situation complex both legally and practically.

According to the study, the pole and line fishery in the Maldives has declined drastically in recent years, with many pole and line vessels switching to the more profitable handline yellowfin tuna fishery.

As to artisanal fishing, it details that Yemen, Maldives, India and Comoros all make important contributions to total catches, with yellowfin and skipjack tuna being the main target species -- 80 per cent and 20 per cent of catches, respectively.

On the other hand, the document emphasized the fact that biological research is often limited by financial and human resource constraints in most countries in the region, unless it is supported by donor projects.

Therefore, the status of a number of species -- mostly non-target species, but some that are targeted -- such as sharks, marlins and sailfish, “is not well researched or understood.”

The document concludes that it is required to carry out improvements in research, fisheries management, monitoring, control and surveillance and the functioning of regional institutions, since they provide the the basis for sustainable fisheries management in the region.
 

[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Print