Spanish Seiner Fleet Gets IO Yellowfin Catches MSC Certified

Earlier this year, ANABAC requested an MSC scope extension to assess yellowfin as an additional target species to its already certified skipjack fishery in the Indian Ocean. The catches recently received the blue tick after it scored above 80 for Principle 1. The CAB, Bureau Veritas, stated in the Public Certification Report that, “the client requested this scope extension in light of recent developments addressing key concerns previously raised about the status and management of Indian Ocean yellowfin.” The Performance Indicators for the other two principles – ecosystem impacts and management system – were not analyzed. In May, Atuna reported about this fishery going for a scope extension.

Last year, IOTC scientists determined that yellowfin in the Indian Ocean was no longer overfished, after which several fisheries announced that they are interested in an MSC assessment for IO yellowfin. However, experts warned that there were data discrepancies in the stock assessment and flag states should keep to their quotas.