World Tuna Day

 Since the adoption of the first tuna management procedure in 2011, tuna RFMOs have embraced MSE and management procedures as a management approach to rebuild, first and when needed, and then maintain sustainable tuna stocks and fisheries .  The following illustrates the development of management procedures by tuna RFMOs . Precautionary management procedures are indispensable tools for achieving sustainable tuna fisheries . MSE provides a rigorous framework for testing management procedures before implementation, reducing risks and enhancing decision-making . Precautionary management procedures ensure that fishing limits are based on scientific evidence, safeguarding stocks from overexploitation . While challenges remain, continued investment in these approaches will be critical in securing the long-term health of global tuna fisheries.

   Tuna fisheries play a crucial role in global seafood production, providing food security, employment and economic value to many coastal nations. However, growing concerns related to unsustainable fishing, climate change, ecosystem impacts and mismanagement necessitate robust management approaches. Management strategy evaluation (MSE) and precautionary management procedures have emerged as a key tool for ensuring sustainable tuna stocks while balancing economic and ecological objectives. MSE tested management procedures for tunas have recently become an improved management tool in rebuilding tuna stocks and ensuring their long-term sustainability. MSE is a simulation-based framework that allows fisheries managers and stakeholders to test and evaluate the performance of different management options against pre-agreed management objectives before implementation. This process accounts for uncertainties in stock assessments, biological and environmental variability, as well as m...

  Globally, the seven major commercial oceanic tuna species are assessed and managed as 23 distinct stocks by the five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs): CCSBT, IATTC, ICCAT, IOTC and WCPFC. These stocks include six albacore, four bigeye, four bluefin, five skipjack, and four yellowfin tuna stocks. The global tuna catch has remained stable at around 5 million tonnes in recent years. In 2023, the total catch was approximately 5.2 million tonnes, a figure similar to the previous year. Skipjack tuna accounted for the largest share (57 percent), followed by yellowfin tuna (31 percent), bigeye tuna (7 percent), albacore tuna (4 percent), and the three bluefin tuna species collectively contributing just 1 percent of the total catch. From a stock perspective, based on the most recent stock status adopted by tuna RFMOs, 16 out of the 23 assessed tuna stocks are not overfished, and overfishing is not occurring. Additionally, five sto...