PERU fishing with guts to report…
The three most important species of tunas in the world have improved significantly, according to the latest report from the International Foundation for Sustainability of Products of the Sea (ISFF).
The report, which collects scientific records of various important populations of tuna made by each of the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) in one document, ISFF announced that the eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna has improved its abundance, while varieties of western Atlantic bluefin tuna and albacore Indian Ocean have improved the rate of exploitation.
However, SFF also explains that despite these improvements, there are still evidence that there are still overfishing in several populations, especially the Pacific bluefin tuna and bigeye WCPO.
The report also highlights the existence of 23 stocks of the principal market tuna species worldwide: 6 albacore, bigeye 4, 4 red, 5 of skipjack and yellowfin 4.
According SFF, 2013 catches of the main commercial tunas were 4.6 million tonnes, 58% of which was Skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (27%), bigeye (9%) and albacore (6 %). The four bluefin tuna accounted for only 1% of world catches.
In addition, the report noted that most of the catch is Skipjack tuna in the western and central Pacific Ocean, with more than 1.7 million tons. In contrast, with 1,400 tonnes, catches of albacore Mediterranean represent less than one decimal that.
SFF also clarifies that different fishing gear used to catch tunas, purse seines represent 63% of the world catch Tuna, Skipjack tuna mainly, while nearly 100% of the catches of albacore in the Indian Ocean using longline and almost 90% of the catch in the western Atlantic Fisheries comes with rod and line.
Moreover, the report stresses that SFF globally 52% of stocks are at a healthy level of wealth, 35% are overexploited and 13% are at an intermediate level.
As for the exploitation, the report adds that 52% of stocks are experiencing low mortality rate, Fishing 9% are experiencing overfishing, and 39% have a high mortality Fishing being properly managed.
Finally, from the standpoint of the total catch, 86% of the catch comes from healthy populations. This is due to the fact that the skipjack contribute more than half of the world catch of tuna, and this population is in a healthy situation. By contrast, most of the populations of bluefin tuna and June 2 albacore stocks are overfished, but combined they make a relatively small fraction of the total catch.
SOURCE: Fis.com
