American Samoa once again pushed for a proposal to exempt US purse seiners, operating in the WCPO convention area, that land fish to the StarKist cannery from having fishing limits as it could...
Fishing
American Samoa Leaders Urge Biden To Stop MPA Expansion Plan
Members of the American Samoa territorial legislature (Fono) are again pushing US President Joe Biden to reconsider the expansion of marine protected areas (MPA) before his presidency ends....
Ecuadorian Seiners Experiencing Incredible Skipjack Fishing Season In 2024
EPO tuna catches in the first nine months have already hit record high volumes, propelled by a massive rise in tonnages from the largest fleet in this ocean, Ecuador. EPO fleets captured a...
Philippines’ Good Tuna Catches Boosted By High Skipjack Volumes
Philippines-flagged vessels' tuna catches from January to September increased by 36 percent compared to the same period in 2023. This was driven by high volumes of all the main species –...
ISSF Report Says Global Tuna Stocks’ Health Improved
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) recently released its second biannual report on the status of 23 tuna stocks. It revealed that 88 percent of the total tuna catches...
Korea Says Increased Pacific Bluefin Catches Will Help Fishers
The WCPFC recently agreed to increase Korea’s Pacific bluefin quota for 2025, the decision made at the Commission's 21st Regular Session that concluded earlier this week. Kang Do-Hyung, Korean...
ISSF Lauds Most WCPFC Meeting Outcomes, Criticizes Lack Of South Pacific Albacore MP
More information is coming from the WCPFC annual meeting that ended earlier this week. The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) praised the RFMO’s work on several positive...
One Step Forward, Several Steps Back at WCPFC21
-VIEWPOINT- The Global Tuna Alliance (GTA) is entering a pivotal new phase in its mission to drive sustainable and socially responsible tuna fisheries. As Advocacy Lead, I can draw on many...
ABC News: Tuna Companies Want Aussies To Eat More Local Caught Fish
Aussies love their tuna as they consume high amounts of this fish annually. Most of the ambient tuna, mainly skipjack, and some yellowfin, sold in this part of the world is caught in the WCPO...
WCPFC Agrees To Japan’s Demand For Increased Pacific Bluefin Catches
The WCPFC 21st Regular Sessions concluded yesterday but the RFMO is yet to announce all the adoptions made at the meeting. Among them was the decision to expand Japan’s Pacific bluefin quota...
8th European Tuna Conference To Take Place In Barcelona On May 5
Atuna is proud to announce that it will be organizing the 8th European Tuna Conference on Monday, May 5, 2025, for the very first time in Barcelona, Spain. The event will take place one day...
Major Global Highlights November 2024
November was a crucial month for the two major tuna RFMOs – WCPFC and ICCAT. WCPFC meeting is ongoing and will conclude tomorrow, while ICCAT was held last month and drew important conclusions...
Two Pacific Island States Sign US Tuna Treaty
The Marshall Islands and Palau signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the US for the South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT) on Friday. The ceremony by Ministers of both countries and the US...
EPO 2024 Catches On Track To Break All Records
Unprecedented volumes of skipjack throughout most of this year have pushed total EPO tuna and tuna-like species catches to the highest level ever recorded. From January to September there was...
EU Vessels Landed Less Fish In 2023 But Value Increased
Eurostat last week published the data of tuna and seafood catches by EU-flagged vessels in 2023. Spain, which has the largest tuna fleet in the EU caught, at 21 percent, the most tuna and...
WCPFC Meeting Begins With Strong Emphasis On Crew Rights & Climate Change
The WCPFC kicked off its 21st annual meeting in Suva, Fiji, today with key figures in the industry pointing out several critical issues that the Commission needs to address such as harvest...
Galapagos Artisanal Fishers Say “Balanced Tuna Fishing Approach” Critical
A group of artisanal fishers from Galapagos in Ecuador have come together to ask authorities to address the challenges that they face in the sector. They requested Inés Manzano, the Minister...
Manta Pole-And-Liner Restored But Sector Faces Challenges
Pole-and-line boats used to be a regular sight in Manta when the tuna boom began seventy years ago and over time, large industrial purse seine vessels became more prominent. But a newly...
American Samoa Gets FFA Observer Status
American Samoa was recently granted observer status in the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency(FFA). Taotasi Archie Solilai, Director of the American Samoa Department of Marine Wildlife and...
Experts Highlight Need To Discuss Loophole In WCPFC Longliner Transshipment Rule
Strengthening transshipment regulations is a critical topic for the WCPFC. The Commission’s annual meeting starts on Thursday. The Co-Chairs of the Transshipment Intersessional Working Group...