The meeting took place in La Réunion, France, from 13 to 17 April 2025.
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For the first time in history, the European Union has implemented catch limits for all major tropical tuna species at the recent meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).
According to the EU, the adoption of measures for yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, and now skipjack tuna is crucial to ensuring that the fishery for these species in the Indian Ocean remains sustainable.
These measures also encourage other countries to develop their own rules and catch limits to keep their fisheries sustainable without the need for external intervention.
Finally, the EU states that these initiatives will provide greater clarity and stability for fishing operators, enabling them to plan their activities and anticipate their decision-making power.
In the case of bigeye tuna, collaboration between the EU and Japan has allowed for a 15% increase in the Total Allowable Catch (TAC). Additionally, it has been confirmed that yellowfin tuna is no longer overfished.
However, the IOTC Scientific Committee recommends continued caution and advises against making any hasty decisions regarding stock management. For this reason, any changes to the Total Allowable Catch for yellowfin tuna will be decided next year.
During the meeting, which took place in La Réunion, France, from 13 to 17 April 2025, new rules on transhipment at sea and other control measures were also adopted, along with proposals to simplify and improve the IOTC’s governance structure, manage fishing effort, and address the impacts of climate change on tuna stocks.
In the previous meeting, Spain and the EU asked for the reduction of fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Indian Ocean to improve sustainability in tropical tuna fishing activities. In contrast, the Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) urged IOTC to strengthen FADs management.
The IOTC was established in 1993, and two years later, the EU became one of its members. Other participating members include Australia, Bangladesh, China, Comoros, France (on behalf of its overseas territories), India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Yemen.