The 2018 WCPFC FAD ban kicked off this weekend, meaning all FAD sets are prohibited in the Western Pacific Ocean for a three to four month period. The measure aims to take pressure off certain...
Fishing
Cook Islands “Aware Of” FAD Pollution Issue
Cook Islands officials say they are aware of the marine pollution caused by FAD debris, but that there is only so much they can do to reduce the problem, considering that FADs used in their...
Traceability Pilot To Help Filipino Fisheries Access Foreign Markets
USAID Oceans, along with a Philippines-based technology provider, will equip small-scale pole and line Filipino fisheries with transmitters to track their tuna catch. As said by USAID, the...
NZ Money To Help FFA Countries On IUU Battle
The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) will pay NZD 4.9 million (USD 3.3 million) towards helping Pacific Island countries to fight illegal fishing. The investment will...
Azores Restricts Bigeye Catch To Avoid Overage
The government of the Portuguese archipelago Azores has announced tuna vessels can only catch a maximum of 25 tons of bigeye every four days. The limit comes after Portugal nears closer to...
WCPO FAD Ban Just Days Away
The EEZ FAD ban in the WCPO starts July 1st and as usual there is expectation that prices will rise in reaction to shorter supply reaching Bangkok on carriers. This time around some are...
US Congress Delays Vote On Revised “Fish Bill”
A vote on the revised Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA) has been delayed by the US Congress after lawmakers introduced 27 amendments to the bill. It is unclear what this delay means for the chances...
Vietnam Must Wait Another 6 Months For Yellow Card Decision
The European Commission has told Vietnam it will have to wait at least another six months for the possibility of having its yellow card lifted. Although the bloc saw improvements in the...
IN BRIEF: Malaysian Tuna Brand Helps Reduce National Debt
The 126-year old Malaysian Ayam Brand has said it will contribute towards the Tabung Harapan Malaysia – which is used to pay off the country’s debt. Two percent of its total sales this month,...
Heavy Drop In US Fleet’s EPO Landings
Although more active in the EPO over the last couple of years, US flagged seiners have seen drastic reductions to their regional catch so far in 2018. But with the EEZ FAD ban about to...
New Bycatch Retention Rules Applied By ICCAT
Earlier this month ICCAT put into force new conservation measures, one of which is aimed at prohibiting the discard of any tuna caught by seiners fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, in order to...
TU Social Audit Reveals Poor Treatment Of Fishermen
The findings from a third-party social audit initiated by Thai Union on some of its Thai suppling vessels has revealed a number of labor issues. Following the outcome of the review on social...
US Industry Commends Trump’s Economy-Driven Ocean Policy
The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) has said President Trump should be “commended” for revising Obama’s ocean policy. According to the NFI, this “simple step” from Trump will ensure a...
IN BRIEF: Asdomar Gives Customers Free Tuna
A promotion lasting until July 29 gives Italian consumers the chance to try Asdomar tuna for free as part of the brand’s ‘Try It Free’ campaign. Buyers of selected tuna products from Asdomar...
RFMOs Working On “Confusing” FAD Definitions
A joint tuna RFMO FAD working group has been established and one of its objectives is to harmonize the terminology used to define a Fish Aggregating Device (FAD), but progress so far has been...
Filipino Fishermen Slam Govt. For “Toothless” Regulations
The General Santos City government has failed to implement fishing regulations and curb illegal fishing, according to a group of local handline tuna fishermen. It has been argued that...
Japanese Fishermen Take Quota Protests To The Streets
Frustrated fishermen in Japan have taken to the streets to voice their disapproval of the Pacific bluefin catch quotas distributed by the Japanese government. Protestors from across Japan are...
Global Fishing Watch Urges Resource Owners To Share Vessel Data
The CEO of Global Fishing Watch (GFW) has described Indonesia as a model that other countries should follow as he advocates for an increase in the sharing of vessel data. He calls for “smaller...
EPO Yellowfin Landings Up After 2017 Drop
After a significant drop in overall EPO purse seine yellowfin catches last year there has been some recovery in landings of this species, with the first four months of 2018 actually showing a...
Industry Doubts Reports Of Fiji Albacore Recovery
Although Fiji’s Fisheries Minister announced healthy stocks of albacore were returning to the country’s waters, the status of the species is a “far cry” from what it once was, according to an...