The Producer Association of Big Tuna Freezers (Opagac) and the WWF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in order to join forces to achieve sustainable fisheries for tropical tunas.
With the signing of this agreement a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) has been launched to help establish management frameworks and good fishing practices that meet the sustainability standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and ensure the sustainable operation of tropical tuna stocks.
According to WWF, an increasing number of tropical tuna fisheries are entering levels of overfishing, as in the case of western Pacific bigeye tuna, the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna and the Atlantic bigeye tuna.
“This worrying trend is the result of lack of effectiveness of some measures taken by regional fisheries organizations (RFOs), lack of production control rules and well defined reference limits in these RFOs, and poor or no management fishing capacity in most international fisheries, said the international organization.
To prepare the work plan of the FIP, Opagac hired MRAG consultants, who conducted a pre-assessment of tropical tuna fisheries in Atlantic, Indian and eastern, central and western Pacific oceans, where the association’s fishing vessels operate.
WWF evaluated and completed the information from the pre-assessment, allowing a plan of action of the FIP by mutual consent.
They will work through FIP, WWF, Opagac and other partners to ensure that the RFOs responsible for the management of tropical tuna fisheries adopt appropriate regulatory frameworks for bigeye, yellowfin, skipjack tuna fisheries. The aim is to establish the required catch strategies and fishing levels based on the best available science, and enable maximum sustainable yield (MSY).
WWF stresses that one of the main challenges of FIP is the proper management of fish aggregating devices (FADs). FADs follow-up and research projects that Opagac has been developing for years aboard its fleet should contribute to scientific discussions and the implementation of appropriate management measures for these fisheries globally in all RFOs.
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