Pacific tuna fishery management updates

Management of tuna fisheries in the Pacific is shifting toward increased fishing opportunities following improvements in stock health.

In the Eastern Pacific, scientists from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (CIAT) proposed reducing the seasonal fishing closure for skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna from 64 days to a maximum of 42 days. This recommendation follows assessments showing favorable biological status for these populations due to conservation measures like the Individual Vessel Threshold. While models suggest a full removal of the pause is possible, experts advise a cautious, step-wise reduction.

Simultaneously, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) reached an agreement on a long-term management procedure for Pacific bluefin tuna. Spawning biomass for the species has recovered to an estimated 23.2 percent of its unfished level. The agreement includes a plan to gradually increase the eastern Pacific share of the catch from 20 percent in 2027 to 22 percent by 2031.