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7 days ago
- Science
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Panel report on recovery of Indian Ocean tuna stocks sets off alarm among experts
When the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission's scientific committee presented its latest findings in early December at an upscale hotel and conference centre complex in Cape Town, South Africa, many scientists were stunned. The committee, led by Toshihide Kitakado and Gorka Merino, announced that stocks of yellowfin tuna, one of the world's most prized varieties whose market is worth billions of dollars a year, was no longer considered overfished or subject to overfishing. Its status was changed from red to green, with an 89% probability that stocks had recovered. In practical terms, the decision was the first step in allowing international fleets to catch more of the valuable fish. This declaration, coming from an intergovernmental body responsible for managing tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean, shocked outside experts. If the assessment was wrong, as several leading marine scientists believe, the consequences could drastically affect the lives of millions of people and damage the long-term health of the ocean. 'I thought that it must be some kind of miracle,' says Iris Ziegler, head of fisheries policies and ocean advocacy at the German Foundation for Marine Conservation, who attended the Cape Town meeting. 'It really did not make sense.' From red to green In 2015, the scientific committee of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission had declared yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) 'overfished', with 94% certainty. It called for annual fishing to be cut by 20% to give populations a chance to recover. Yet every year for the following decade, global fleets caught more yellowfin than the level deemed sustainable by scientists. The term 'overfished' means the total biomass of a fish is below a determined limit. The term 'overfishing' indicates the current level of fishing may result in a species becoming overfished, if it is not already. Between 2018 and 2022, an average 429,421 tonnes of yellowfin were caught each year according to a 2023 Indian Ocean Tuna Commission scientific committee report, which relies on catch figures submitted by the crews themselves. This far exceeds the maximum sustainable yield of 349,000 tonnes that this committee recommended. Maximum sustainable yield is a common metric in fisheries, used to estimate the largest amount of fish that can be sustainability caught over time. Catch limits are set for individual countries, although when contacted by Dialogue Earth, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission did not provide any examples of action being taken against those who exceed these limits. Despite this apparent sustained overfishing, by 2024 Indian Ocean Tuna Commission scientists were saying this species was in a healthy state. So, did yellowfin stocks suddenly become markedly healthier? Were the decade's preceding estimates wrong? Or was the new assessment far from the reality of what was in the ocean? Independent scientists, civil society organisations and environmental campaigners tell Dialogue Earth the shift is due to highly controversial changes in the methodology used to calculate tuna population trends. Some claim it is an example of the European Union's powerful, billion-dollar fishing lobby exerting its influence over authorities to allow its fleets to catch more yellowfin. They say profits for Europe are coming at the cost of food security, biodiversity and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers in Africa and Asia – fishers who depend on tuna for food and income. 'It's all about profit,' says John Burton, founder of the UK-based sustainable fishing nonprofit SFACT. 'Stocks have been deep in the red for years, then suddenly they turn green. It is in the interests of the EU. They are the pirates of the Indian Ocean.' In response to the criticisms, one of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission scientists involved tells Dialogue Earth the system is robust and was not influenced by lobbyists. In addition, a fishing industry representative insists the whole process is rigorous. An ocean of tuna The Indian Ocean, which is bordered by Africa, Asia and Australia, is the world's second largest tuna producing region. About 920,000 tonnes of the various species are caught there annually. This represents over a fifth of the world's supply and is worth $2.3 billion, according to a 2023 study. Yellowfin – a torpedo-shaped predator named for its bright yellow dorsal fin – accounts for a significant amount of the region's tuna catch. Most is caught by industrial ships using purse seine and baited hook longline methods, for the canned tuna and sashimi markets. Yellowfin biomass declined globally by 54% between the 1950s and 2020, according to a global study in 2023. The greatest decline over that period – 70% – was in the Indian Ocean, where the researchers concluded the species is in 'dire straits'. The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species rates yellowfin tuna globally as not particularly threatened. However, scientists who assessed the Indian Ocean population using the same IUCN methodology concluded it was ' vulnerable '. Conservationists warn a collapse in the yellowfin population could have serious repercussions for Indian Ocean ecosystems, where tuna play a key role as a top predator. It would also be devastating for the tens of millions of people in coastal areas who rely on fisheries for their livelihoods. 'If unsustainable yellowfin fishing continues, it could have permanent and extremely damaging effects on millions of people and the planet,' says Umair Shahid, the World Wide Fund for Nature's Indian Ocean tuna manager. Shahid urges caution over the 2024 assessment: 'While the assessment shows encouraging biological trends, WWF does not interpret this as a license to increase fishing pressure. On the contrary, we emphasise the need for structural reform, better data and long term ecosystem-based strategies to ensure the recovery is sustained and resilient.' A better model The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission' shock shift in stance on the health of tuna populations came after changes to technical measures, called the longline catch per unit effort indices. These indicators, little understood beyond a small group of specialist scientists, are fed into a model that is crucial in determining assessment outcomes. The report detailing the new findings says the 2024 model represents a 'marked improvement' over the previous model from 2021. It also says the changes build on recommendations from an independent review carried out in 2023. The new model suggests the tuna was 'in an overfished state from 2007 to 2019' but that the mass of adult fish (fisheries scientists look at 'spawning stock biomass') increased 'considerably' after 2021. But six independent scientists contacted by Dialogue Earth say they fear the changes make it appear that yellowfin stocks in the Indian Ocean are far healthier than the reality. All raised serious concerns over the new stock assessment. 'It's wrong by all textbooks,' says Rainer Froese of the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (Geomar). Daniel Pauly, a professor at the University of British Columbia's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, says he is 'deeply suspicious of assessments saying that all is well with yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean, especially as we published a paper two years ago stating the opposite'. Several scientists cited significant issues with the new Indian Ocean Tuna Commission's methodology used to carry out the assessment. For example, the use of data from the Arabian Sea, which they say is patchy and unreliable, and therefore likely warps the overall assessment. They also take issue with the use of cluster analysis, an approach for identifying fishing methods based on the particular mixture of species present in a catch (a cluster). Critics say it should not be used in this case, because the fishing methods for bigeye and yellowfin in tropical areas like the Indian Ocean are similar. This makes it is difficult to distinguish between the two tuna species, which can potentially inflate yellowfin numbers. The data analysis was 'not well thought out', says a source who asked to remain anonymous to protect their ongoing work. Furthermore, the team submitted the analyses just a day before the scientists' data preparation meeting, leaving little time for scrutiny. The deadline is usually set at more than a week before meetings. '[The attendees] weren't told and didn't have time to check,' adds the source. 'Normally, you would have to explain why there is such a big difference in the findings, too. The [scientific committee] didn't even do that.' Merino, deputy chair of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission' scientific committee, says the 2024 yellowfin stock assessment was conducted in a 'collaborative and transparent way', and informed by a review undertaken by an international panel. He also stresses that a key index of tuna abundance was developed by scientists from Asian fleets, without any participation by European Union scientists, which undermines claims of European influence. (Critics say Asian fleets, like the European Union's, have an interest in opposing limitations on their fishing.) 'It is a model that is more stable and robust than previous ones,' adds Merino. Lobbying for tuna Civil society organisations have repeatedly raised concerns about the growing influence of the industry on the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. The number of lobbyists in the European Union delegation to Indian Ocean Tuna Commission meetings has more than doubled in recent years, from an average of eight between 2002 and 2015, to 18 between 2016 and 2022. Lobbyists now outnumber public officials and scientists, according to Bloom. The nonprofit adds that, of the 2,278 delegates from 30 nations who attended annual Indian Ocean Tuna Commission meetings between 2002 and 2022, one in five represented the European Union. Meanwhile, the 68-boat European Union fleet (64 of which were from Spain and France) is the largest group in the Indian Ocean, according to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission's latest list of active vessels. 'There are too many vested interests involved in the IOTC,' says Nick Wise, founder of OceanMind, a nonprofit that focuses on enforcing oceans regulations. Dialogue Earth sent a freedom of information request to the European Commission requesting details of attendees of fishing agreement negotiations between the European Union and Madagascar (one of the Indian Ocean's coastal states), including for yellowfin tuna. Only redacted information that does not identify lobbyists was received. Callum Roberts, a professor of marine conservation at the University of Exeter, tells Dialogue Earth he is 'highly doubtful' the Indian Ocean's yellowfin tuna population has grown. 'I think we all deserve far more robust evidence of tuna stock recovery before any credibility can be given to this convenient result,' he says. Dialogue Earth spoke to Isabella Lövin, a Swedish member of the European parliament representing the Miljöpartiet (Green Party) and a member of the European Parliament's Committee on Fisheries. She says the yellowfin assessments must be scrutinised by independent experts: 'These shifting baselines have to be looked at.' The Global Tuna Alliance, a group of retailers and supply chain companies, issued a statement saying: 'engaging constructively with the IOTC and its partners to ensure the management of yellowfin tuna remains firmly grounded in science and precaution.' Kitakado tells Dialogue Earth that, as the chair of the scientific committee, he cannot comment on 'individual views or specific technical matters, which are either already addressed in the committee's reports or are expected to be considered in upcoming discussions within the relevant working parties and the committee itself'. He adds: 'I appreciate the interest in this issue and trust that the committee will continue to fulfil its role with the seriousness and diligence it requires.' The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission secretariat says it has no comment to make beyond the committee's existing report. A spokesperson for the European Commission's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries says the European Union 'trusts' the 2024 Indian Ocean Tuna Commission stock assessment, adding it is 'based on the rigorous work of highly qualified, independent scientists'. On the presence of lobbyists in the European Union delegation, the spokesperson says: 'The EU follows a wide and transparent consultation process with all stakeholders.' Anne-France Mattlet is the director of Europêche, an industry body representing 45,000 fishing vessels, including the majority of the European Union vessels in the Indian Ocean. She says the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission's stock assessments are 'rigorous', and that Europêche continues 'to advocate for science-based conservation and management measures'.
Express Tribune
05-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt eyes $200m from tuna exports
Listen to article Pakistan is poised to gain $200 million from the export of tuna fish in the coming years due to an overhaul of the industry. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, has announced that Pakistan's tuna sector is set for a $200 million boost following global quota allocations and regulatory reforms. For the first time, Pakistan has secured a tuna fishing quota of 25,000 metric tonnes from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), comprising 15,000 tonnes of Yellowfin Tuna and 10,000 tonnes of Skipjack Tuna, according to an official press release. These quotas are aligned with climate-conscious fisheries management principles aimed at protecting marine biodiversity and reducing pressure on ocean ecosystems. "This is a landmark achievement that promises significant foreign exchange earnings," the minister said. "With international prices for these tuna species ranging between $5 and $7 per kilogram, and potentially higher with value-added processing, the economic potential is enormous." Calling the development "a turning point for Pakistan's tuna sector," Chaudhry noted that although the country currently catches more than 45,000 metric tonnes of tuna each year, much of this high-value resource has been escaping the formal economy due to unregulated operations. To capture the full economic value of the resource, the minister highlighted that "a series of reforms have been launched," including the introduction of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, aimed at unifying fragmented regulatory frameworks while promoting environmentally sound and revenue-generating fishing techniques. "This policy framework supports Pakistan's obligations under international climate and marine conservation agreements," the federal minister stated. He also announced a major milestone for Pakistan, noting that for the first time in the 28-year history of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), a senior official from Pakistan's Ministry of Maritime Affairs has been elected as Chair of its Standing Committee on Administration and Finance, a significant step in strengthening Pakistan's role in global tuna governance. The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is an intergovernmental body comprising 30-member countries, established under the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Its mandate is to manage tuna and related species in the Indian Ocean by promoting sustainable use through scientific research, quota distribution, and regulatory frameworks. As part of broader adaptation efforts, the minister said destructive fishing methods such as gillnetting and trawling are being phased out, replaced with more selective and environmentally friendly longlining techniques. "This transition reduces bycatch and supports ocean health in the face of climate-driven stressors such as warming waters and changing migration patterns," he added. The FAO has backed this initiative by providing 10 longline fishing kits free of charge for demonstration purposes to local fishing communities. This transition is expected to increase product value from an average of $2 to $8 per kilogram, the minister noted. He stated that further reforms encompassed the revision of certification and testing fees for seafood exports, resulting in a revenue increase from Rs48 million to Rs250 million. Additionally, infrastructure initiatives have been launched, including the revitalisation of Korangi Fisheries Harbour with the construction of a new auction hall and floating jetty, aimed at enhancing tuna landings and boosting exports, particularly to the European Union. The minister stated that Pakistan's tuna sector now stands at the threshold of a major economic shift. With quotas secured, regulatory reforms underway, and international cooperation growing, the country is poised to become a key player in the global tuna trade, ushering in a new era of sustainable growth and foreign exchange generation for the fisheries sector.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
International group sparks debate with sweeping measures to protect sharks: 'We are overexploiting the species'
Newly adopted international measures designed to protect sharks should help several species, but critics worry that one could be left behind. Sharks are often captured as bycatch — unintentional catches in fishing nets — during tuna fishing expeditions, and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission made protecting the marine animals a focus, Mongabay reported. An estimated 100 million sharks are killed each year, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Along with bycatch, millions are killed through finning, where people remove shark fins and put the animals back in the ocean to die. In its attempt to help, the IOTC included more species within shark-retention bans, restricted certain fishing gear, and enacted stronger reporting requirements for all caught sharks. The organization also ruled that all sharks brought to shore must have their fins naturally attached to their bodies to prove they were not finned. Shortfin mako sharks, however, were not included in the full retention ban. Instead, boats will be allowed to keep the fish if they are already dead by the time they're brought into the boat. Certain fishing gear that's proven detrimental to makos will also continue to be allowed. "Sharks won for the very first time at the IOTC, except the shortfin mako," Iris Ziegler of the German Foundation for Marine Conservation told Mongabay. "For shortfin mako, it was a disaster. We are overexploiting the species, and it may never recover." Sharks are among the large predators that can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted each year by storing carbon in their bodies. They also feed on smaller, plant-eating fish, helping preserve some of the kelp and other marine plants that store carbon. Scientists have actually floated the possibility of introducing reef sharks, and other large predators, into certain environments to help meet carbon-removal targets within the Paris Agreement. The IOTC also decided to later review a 2024 assessment that said yellowfin tuna are no longer being overfished. In particular, the group expressed skepticism about the data used within that assessment. "We have significant concerns over the seemingly miraculous recovery of the stock, given the decade of unrelenting overfishing that preceded the IOTC's most recent yellowfin stock assessment," Jess Rattle of the Blue Marine Foundation told Mongabay. "It is essential that these issues are resolved and that the assessment is reviewed and revised accordingly." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Tiger shark population faces decline: Study
Kochi: Even as India urges researchers to identify and establish its biodiversity information, several species are either on the brink of extinction or entering the near-threatened categories. Recent studies by fisheries scientists of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) raised concerns about the dwindling populations of shark species in the Indian Ocean. The studies, which looked at the iconic tiger sharks ( Galeocerdo cuvier ), flagged concerns about global decline and called for shark conservation population of the tiger shark is in a state of global decline, with the species assessed as 'Near Threatened' on the IUCN Red List . Despite this, there is a lack of fundamental information required for regional management, such as those on life history and ecology."We looked at the population dynamics of G. cuvier in the Arabian Sea, which is one of the world's most important shark fishing regions. Length-frequency data of G. cuvier landed at Cochin over 16 months in 2023–2024 revealed the dominance of the 180–240cm length class, with the largest individual measuring 405cm long. Almost 95% of younger adults are caught and they are coming in as bycatch, contributing to 23% of the shark landings," said Rajeev Raghavan, aquatic biologist and faculty at the Kufos department of fisheries resource management.A total of 264 species of sharks and rays are known from the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), of which 43% are threatened. Some parts of the WIO are more significant for shark fisheries, such as the Arabian Sea, which harbours 15% of the described chondrichthyan species of the world, more than half of which are threatened. Close to 98% of the tiger sharks that landed at Cochin during the study period were the targets of commercial fishery using baited longline, while the remaining 2% were bycatch originating from gillnet and trawl fisheries."We need to bring in the tiger shark conservation zones. Unlike the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, which looks at the entire tuna catches across the world, shark conservation does not have such a body. Some countries have banned tiger shark catches. Since it is not banned in India, our fishermen go to far-off deep-sea waters to catch them. The fact that they must go far to catch these species is an indication of dwindling numbers," Raghavan said.
Express Tribune
10-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Pakistan set to introduce National Fisheries Policy
Listen to article After securing quota to harvest 25,000 metric tonnes of tuna from the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Pakistan is set to introduce a comprehensive National Fisheries Policy and consultation with relevant stakeholders has commenced. The Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said on Friday that the country has obtained a quota to catch 25,000 metric tonnes of tuna from the Indian Ocean and it is expected to increase fish exports and enhance Pakistan's presence in international seafood markets. The quota is granted by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN to promote cooperation among the member countries to ensure management, conservation and optimum utilisation of fish and sea food stocks as well as encourage sustainable development of fisheries based on such stocks. "We are also working to strengthen aquaculture, an area with vast potential, and it is expected to contribute $200 million in the next two years," said Minister Chaudhry, in a meeting with the Fisheries Development Commissioner Mian Aftab Ali. It was decided that a Fisheries Development Fund should be formed to provide financial stability and promote innovation across the sector. The Fisheries Development Commission has suggested for the need to modernise infrastructure and technological support to harness aquaculture's capabilities in country, and for that purpose incentive packages for the fishing industry will be announced soon. This includes support for fishing vessels, aquaculture equipment, and value-added seafood products. The ministry of maritime affairs has finalised plans to revitalise the Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority. While inland and coastal fishing was the domain of the provinces, the KFHA is a federal government entity. The Federal Minister reaffirmed the government's resolve to create a policy framework that not only supports the fishing community but also ensures environmental sustainability, export diversification, and economic resilience. The meeting underscored the Ministry's renewed commitment to revitalising and modernising Pakistan's marine economy and a series of consultative workshops to be held in major cities of the country including Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore and Islamabad next month to attract investments in marine fisheries sector. "The National Fisheries Policy will serve as a roadmap for sustainable development and increased exports," he said.
