The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is urging the fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) covering the Pacific to immediately observe the scientific recommendations and halve the catch limits to preserve bluefin tuna populations in the long term.

“Management measures in the eastern Pacific and the western and central Pacific are totally inadequate to preserve the population of the Pacific bluefin tuna. Only 50% reduction in catches and stringent measures to protect juvenile can ensure long-term sustainability of this fishery”Said Pablo Guerrero, coordinator of the Eastern Pacific Ocean Tuna for Smart Fishing Initiative of WWF.

The NGO will make this call to the meeting being held this week in Lima, will be represented in the European Union and the 21 countries that are members of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC). There will highlight that measurements of the breeding population of the Pacific bluefin tuna indicates it has fallen by more than 96%.

In addition, the WWF has expressed concern over the fact that about 90% of the species caught are young fish that have not yet been played.

Last year, the IATTC determined that commercial catches in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) should not exceed 5,000 metric tons in 2014, but only a significant reduction in this fee could help Biomass of Pacific bluefin tuna to recover.

“Delegates at the Lima meeting should agree on a catch limit of 2,750 metric tons to be consistent with the recommendation of the International (CSI) Scientific Commission to reduce catches by 50%”Says Guerrero.

According to the WWF, the IATTC should also adopt conservation measures to reduce fishing mortality of silky sharks, in order to recover populations of these sharks in the EPO as well as totally banning finning in sea ​​and require that sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached.

In addition, members of the IATTC should adopt scientific recommendations on best practices for handling Rays aboard purse seiners.

Other measures that could make fishing more sustainable tuna are:
Mandating numbers IMO (International Maritime Organization) for all purse seiners and longliners over 20 meters in length operating in the Convention area to monitor and control the existing fishing capacity;

To provide additional data on the movement of FAD (fish aggregating devices) to the Commission; Mark and identify these devices;
The fishing fleets using FADs should avoid the use of any material deployed interlaced beneath them, to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles and sharks.

Tuna is one of the most valuable fisheries in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Supports a multibillion dollar industry that sustains the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people and contributes to economic growth and social development in the region.

“It is vital that Member States of the IATTC increase their commitment to responsible management, necessary for sustainable levels of stocks of tuna while healthy population of sharks is guaranteed long-term”Concludes Guerrero.

SOURCE: Fis.com