Historic meeting for regional fisheries management organizations

By Seremaia Tuqiri

Tuna RFMOs (Regional Fisheries Management Organisations) are intergovernmental organizations that carry out data collection, scientific monitoring and management of tuna and tuna-like resources.

The five tuna RFMOs are:

  • Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
  • Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
  • International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantinc Tunas
  • Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
  • Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission

The first ever Joint Meeting of the 5 Tuna RFMOs was held in Kobe, Japan from January 22 – 26, 2007. This was a historic attempt by all RFMOs to meet on one occasion to discuss common matters. The meeting was attended by participants from 54 members and co-operating non-members of the 5 RFMOs, their Secretariats and several industry and conservation NGOs including Birdlife, Humane Society International and WWF.

WWF were observers on the government delegations from Australia, Costa Rica, Fiji, and Kenya. It also had an official observer delegation lead by Ms Katherine Short (WWF International) and included Alistair Graham (WWF consultant), Arata Izawa (WWF Japan), and Susana Sainz-Trapaga (MedPO). However, whilst it achieved one WWF objective, firmly positioning WWF as the 'go to' organisation for RFMO reform and tuna conservation and despite some key individuals and delegations seeking commitment to real change, general complacency prevailed.

A presentation made by FAO noted with concern that most commercially important tuna stocks in the world are fully or over-exploited. The meeting also noted that the demand for canned tuna and sashimi was continuously increasing around the world.

a joint WWF and TRAFFIC publication (2006) that analyses the actions undertaken by RFMOs in trying to resolve fisheries management issues with lessons learnt as well as resultant best practices that may have emerged from the analysis.
» Download the report

At the conclusion of the meeting, 14 key areas and challenges were collectively identified to be urgently addressed by the 5 RFMOs. It included employment of the precautionary and ecosystem based approach as effective management measures, particularly with respect to improving data collection on incidental by-catch and non-target species. This will then inform the establishment of measures to reduce adverse effects of fishing on highly migratory species eg: sea turtles, seabirds and sharks. The meeting also recognized the urgency to provide adequate capacity building assistance particularly for small island and developing coastal states.

Four initial actions for technical cooperation across tuna RFMOs were identified. They included:

  • Harmonising and improving trade tracking programs;
  • Harmonising of positive lists of tuna fishing vessels (& creating a global negative list);
  • Harmonising of transshipment control measures; and
  • Standardising of presentation of stock assessment results.

WWF is now focusing its efforts on key priority actions including the development of a reform action plan for each RFMO using the recommendations in Follow the Leader, a joint WWF and TRAFFIC publication (2006) that analyses the actions undertaken by RFMOs in trying to resolve fisheries management issues with lessons learnt as well as resultant best practices that may have emerged from the analysis.

For further information contact: Seremaia Tuqiri - T: (679) 3315533; F: (679) 3315410