ICCAT 2012–2014 Meeting Highlights

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas oversees the conservation and management of a variety of Atlantic marine species, including tunas, swordfish, marlin and sharks, and adopts measures to minimize bycatch of turtles and seabirds associated with these fisheries. This responsibility is shared among ICCAT’s 52 members, including the United States.

2012 Meeting Highlights

The 2012 ICCAT meeting saw significant advances to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and support the rebuilding of bluefin tuna and marlin stocks. With leadership from the United States, ICCAT was able to: 

• Adopt conservation measures that support the long-term sustainable management of western Atlantic bluefin tuna. Among other things, we agreed to do more research on the biology of this iconic species in order to improve our ability to manage it.  Consistent with scientific advice, we extended the catch limit for western Atlantic bluefin tuna through 2013 to ensure continued stock growth.  Management measures were also adopted for the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stock that will support its recovery and strengthen monitoring and control, including improvements to the operational aspects of the high seas boarding and inspection scheme.
• Adopt, for the first time, country-specific quotas for landings of blue marlin and white marlin. These quotas will significantly reduce the number of fish that may be caught and follow scientific advice.  The marlin rebuilding plan also includes an Atlantic-wide recreational minimum size equal to that of the United States, a ban on sale of recreationally-caught marlins, and measures to improve data collection in artisanal fisheries.
• Improve the monitoring of ICCAT fisheries by adopting a strengthened set of minimum standards for port inspections and an at-sea transshipment measure that closes compliance loopholes. We also agreed to begin using the new electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation program in May 2013, and to start work, under a U.S.-Japan proposal, to consider modernized catch certification schemes for other tunas and tuna-like species. These tools are critical to ongoing efforts to fight IUU fishing and level the playing field for U.S. fishermen.
• Thoroughly review whether parties are complying with existing obligations. ICCAT’s Compliance Committee is chaired by the US.
• Agree on a process for amending the 1969 ICCAT Convention so that it is in line with modern principles of fisheries management—and clarifies the Commission’s authority to manage certain stocks, including some sharks found in ICCAT fisheries.

In addition, the United States, Belize, and Brazil proposed a requirement that all sharks caught in ICCAT fisheries be landed with fins naturally attached. While not adopted, international support for this approach is building.

The positions advanced by the United States at ICCAT called for a precautionary approach and international standards to strengthen fishery monitoring and reporting in all ICCAT fisheries. The newly agreed measures will support the long-term sustainability of ICCAT stocks across international fisheries, to the benefit of U.S. fishermen. 

2013 Meeting Highlights

There were contentious negotiations for major stocks managed by ICCAT, including western and eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna, North and South Atlantic swordfish, and North and South Atlantic albacore. The United States was also disappointed that the commission was unable to agree on several shark measures, including a U.S. proposal requiring that sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached.

At the 2013 meeting, ICCAT:

• Extended for 1 year the current total allowable catch level for western Atlantic bluefin to support continued stock growth. Research plans will be developed to improve the science behind managing this important stock. The current TAC in the eastern Atlantic was also extended, and TACs for both eastern and western stocks will be updated in 2014.

• Extended management measures for North and South Atlantic swordfish for 3 years to ensure the continued sustainability of these stocks while protecting the U.S. share of these fisheries.

• Voted to maintain current TACs for North and South Atlantic albacore.

• Again proposed (the United States along with Belize and Brazil) a requirement that all sharks caught in ICCAT fisheries be landed with their fins naturally attached. Although the proposal was not adopted, support for this approach is growing. The European Union, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Senegal, and the United Kingdom’s Overseas Territories joined as co-sponsors, and Gabon also expressed support from the floor.

• Adopted a requirement for many vessels greater than 20 meters to obtain unique vessel identifiers. This new requirement will support ongoing efforts to fight illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and help level the playing field for U.S. fishermen.

• Thoroughly reviewed the records of the 47 ICCAT members, as well as five non-members, to determine their compliance with dozens of conservation measures and reporting requirements. Based on this review, some fishing rights will be suspended, and ICCAT will send letters of concern or identification that indicate areas where progress must be demonstrated. A U.S. representative was again elected to chair ICCAT’s Compliance Committee for the next 2 years.

2014 Meeting Highlights

At the 19th Special Meeting of ICCAT, 42 of ICCAT’s 49 Contracting Parties met and adopted multiyear total allowable catch levels for bluefin tuna, amendments to the tropical tunas management measure, and reference terms for the next scientist–manager dialogue meeting. ICCAT also adopted several U.S.-sponsored proposals to further combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. These proposals included enhancing the monitoring of ICCAT fisheries through more frequent reporting of vessel positions via vessel monitoring systems, establishing a program to help developing states implement their port inspection responsibilities, clarifying the process for cross-listing IUU fishing vessels from other regional fishery management organizations, and harmonizing the requirements in ICCAT's authorized vessel lists. The Compliance Committee reviewed the implementation of ICCAT measures by each of the 49 Contracting Parties. Based on that review, 22 members and three non-members will receive letters of concern specifying areas that need improvement.

The latest stock assessment for Atlantic bluefin tuna reflected an improvement in the status for both western and eastern Atlantic/Mediterranean stocks. ICCAT adopted new management measures that are within the range of scientific advice, are consistent with the respective rebuilding plans, and allow for continued stock growth. For the western stock, the total allowable catch of 2,000 metric tons annually for 2015 and 2016 will provide for continued growth in spawning stock biomass and allow the strong 2003 year-class to continue to enhance the stock’s productivity. The total allowable catch for the eastern Atlantic/Mediterranean stock was set at 16,142 tons for 2015; 19,296 tons for 2016; and 23,155 tons for 2017. In addition, the extensive monitoring, control, and surveillance measures that had originally been adopted to address once-rampant IUU fishing in the eastern fishery were continued with some adjustment.

The commission also considered the management of tropical tunas, including skipjack, which ICCAT’s scientific committee assessed in 2014. ICCAT created a working group to better evaluate the effects of a fishing technique that uses fish aggregating devices on tropical tuna species to improve management advice for this fishery.

Many proposals were introduced for sharks, but only one was adopted. Two draft recommendations related to shortfin mako sharks were considered. The United States, in conjunction with the Republic of Guinea, Senegal, and Mauritania, introduced a proposal to limit overall catches of shortfin mako sharks for the North and South Atlantic stocks based on scientific advice. The European Union introduced a similar proposal. Unfortunately, several parties argued that the measure was unnecessary because the stocks are not currently overfished. The resulting recommendation requires parties to improve domestic data reporting systems and provide additional information to ICCAT about how they monitor and manage catches of shortfin mako sharks; however, it does not set annual catch limits for these stocks.

Support for scientific activities was also clear as the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics presented a 5-year strategic plan, and ICCAT approved an Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program with a total budget of almost 20 million euros over the next 5 years. Finally, ICCAT agreed to hold a second meeting to improve the dialogue between scientists and managers, as well as a third meeting of a similar working group established for western bluefin tuna, where efforts to improve the framework for making management decisions will continue.

We continue to strengthen adherence with ICCAT measures and improve the compliance review process, which includes taking meaningful measures to address non-compliance. Looking ahead to May 2015, ICCAT will hold a final meeting of the Convention Amendment Working Group, to be hosted by the United States. Other intersessional meetings include a meeting to review each Contracting Party’s fishing plans for the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery in late February. This meeting will likely be held back-to-back with a meeting of ICCAT’s Working Group on Integrated Monitoring Measures, which will focus on high seas boarding and inspection, observer programs, and potential further developments to ICCAT’s electronic bluefin tuna catch documentation program. The next ICCAT annual meeting will be held in Malta in November 2015.

Fins Attached Proposal

The United States, in conjunction with 13 co-sponsors from Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean, as well as the European Union, again introduced a proposal to require that all sharks be landed with fins naturally attached. This proposal was designed to improve conservation by enhancing species-specific data collection and improving the enforceability of ICCAT’s existing ban on shark finning. While this proposal continues to gain support, consensus still could not be reached. Two proposals were introduced to improve conservation of porbeagle sharks, but neither was adopted despite efforts to arrive at a compromise.