International Tuna Management

Tunas and tuna-like species, such as swordfish, marlins, mackerels and billfishes, are highly migratory fish species. They may be found in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans and their respective adjacent seas.

The health and sustainability of these tuna stocks depend not only on how countries regulate tuna fishing within their own territorial waters, but also on activities outside their borders. Tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) are the legal entities which bring tuna fishing nations and entities together to ensure sustainable management.

There are five RFMOs that have responsibility for the management of tunas:

• Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT)
• Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)
• Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
• International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
• Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)

Read More:
Tuna RFMOs: Quick Facts

Canada belongs to two of these RFMOs (ICCAT and the WCPFC) and is a co-operating non-party to the IATTC.

Read More:
Canada and the ICCAT
Canada and the WCPFC
Canada and the IATTC

Canada is also interested in improving the global management of high seas tuna in all tuna RFMOs. Our objectives include:

• For tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) to base fisheries management decisions on the advice of science and to incorporate the precautionary approach when setting Total Allowable Catches.
• That all tuna harvesters to report their catches to the RFMOs responsible for management and scientific study.
• That all tuna harvesters to obey conservation and management rules, and all tuna fishing States and entities to effectively control the fishing activities of their fleets to ensure sustainable tuna fisheries.

Read More:
Managing Sustainable High Seas Tuna Stocks: Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations
Recommended Best Practices for RFMOs: A Model RFMO