Last year, several US seiners were known to partake in the legitimate practice of “ocean switching”. Registered to both the WCPFC and IATTC, there was one company in particular that was...
Tuna Fishing News
Poor Bigeye Supply Causes Drop In Japan’s Sashimi Stock
This year’s supply of tuna sashimi in Japan, the most popular form of tuna in the country, is predicted to sink to the lowest volumes since 2011. A decline in bigeye catches by Japanese...
Thai Govt. Aids Fishermen After Yellow Card Impacts
The Thai government is reaching out with new relief measures to support fishermen who have been affected by recent changes in their industry, which have been introduced as part of efforts...
High Seas FAD Ban Hits US Fleet’s Thai Deliveries
Deliveries of whole round tuna to Bangkok from the US flagged purse seine fleet have dropped notably compared to last year, despite earlier in 2017 showing much stronger landings from these...
Ecuadorian Vessel Found With Illegal Catch In Galapagos
An Ecuadorian fishing vessel was discovered with illegally caught albacore tuna onboard, as well as sharks, in the no fishing zone within the waters of Galapagos Islands, a territory of...
Iron Lady Wants Money Laundering Charges Imposed On IUU Offenders
The Indonesian government has requested the United Nations to allow global governments to pursue money-laundering charges against IUU perpetrators. Known as taking a strict stance on illegal...
The Massive Worldwide OPAGAC FIP Beats Expectations
One year after Spanish purse seine vessel representative OPAGAC launched its “Global Tuna FIP”, a Fishery Improvement Project spanning three oceans and three tuna stocks, the organization...
20-Crew Longliner Crash Damages Coral Reef, Assessment Ongoing
Investigations into the damage caused by a tuna longliner that ran aground in Honolulu, Hawaii are still ongoing after the vessel crashed into a reef off the shore of Waikiki. The ship was...
2nd Japanese P&L Fishery Aims For MSC
A Japanese pole and line fishery has entered into MSC assessment for its skipjack and albacore catch in the Northwest and Western Central Pacific. The goal is to be approved for certification...
MSC: IO SKJ Situation Will Not Obstruct New Certifications
The decline in stock identified for Indian Ocean skipjack tuna is expected to have no negative impact on current MSC certified tuna fisheries in the region, despite similar, more dramatic news...
Cook Islands Govt. Wins Legal Case Over Purse Seine Fishery
The Cook Islands government has won a case in which it was accused of acting unlawfully when deciding to develop the purse seine tuna fishery in its EEZ between 2013 and 2016. Several of the...
Korean Catch Record: The Absolute Peak?
The South Korean purse seine fleet considerably bolstered its tuna catch in the WCPO last year. As one of the main distant water fishing nations operating in the region, the volume boost...
Confirmed: IOTC Limits 2018 Skipjack Catch
The IOTC has confirmed that for the first time ever a skipjack tuna catch limit will come into play starting in 2018, following an assessment that showed decline in stock abundance. Important...
Australians To Educate Blue Boat Owners About IUU Consequences
With Vietnam’s blue boats continuing to make appearances in Australia’s EEZ, Australia has decided to help the Asian nation tackle its IUU fishing issues. The countries plan to launch a...
Worry Over Lack Of Action On Observer Safety
As the latest annual WCPFC meeting ended without any new observer safety measures implemented, a board member from an observers association has shown concern at the lack of action taken. The...
FAD Concerns As Phil Fleet Gets Extended High Seas Access
The Philippine-flagged purse seine fleet is allowed to continue its exclusive access to High Seas Pocket 1 in the WCPO, at least for another year, a decision that has some concerned over the...
PNG-Based Canners Threaten To Close In Light Of Rebate Scheme
Six tuna cannery operators in PNG are reportedly discussing the potential of closing down their processing facilities, a direct reaction to the announcement today that the island nation’s...
PNG Launches A Revolution In Tuna Processing
Starting January 2018, no more discounted VDS fishing days will be offered in the PNG EEZ to any domestic or foreign flagged purse seiners, where linked to processors. Instead, in a mission to...
Is An IO Skipjack Quota Really Needed?
Purse seiners fishing in the Indian Ocean could face skipjack catch limits next year due to concerns over the stock status of the species. Although, with the stock still rated as green, there...
Seychelles Gets Strict On Misreporting Amid New IO Quotas
With 2018 Indian Ocean tuna quotas now being considered, the Seychelles Fisheries Agency (SFA) is focused on ensuring there is no misreporting of catch from purse seiners, something it says...