When the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) convened its 2025 Annual Meeting, the stakes were high for the sustainability of tuna fisheries in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). Ahead of the meeting, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) identified a set of science-based priorities to advance conservation of tropical tunas, improve FAD management, strengthen bycatch mitigation, and support transparency and compliance.
After a week of intense negotiations, the meeting delivered more than many expected in some areas — particularly for tropical tunas and FAD management. Yet progress was uneven, with important gaps on longline observer coverage, harvest strategies, bycatch mitigation, and ecosystem-based fisheries management.
Progress for Tropical Tunas
A central achievement was the amendment of the tropical tuna conservation measure for one year. Based on advice from the IATTC Scientific Staff and Scientific Advisory Committee — and reflecting the healthy status of bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack stocks — the Commission reduced the purse seine closure by eight days, to 64 days. This measure continues to provide effective safeguards for tropical tunas in the EPO.
Crucially, the agreement preserved both the Individual Vessel Threshold and the Enhanced Monitoring Program, tools that are essential for tracking bigeye catch and supporting more accurate stock assessments.
The Commission also agreed to sustain the tuna tagging program, funded through an industry levy. Together, these actions underscore the importance of scientific research and monitoring programs that generate the data needed to assess the tuna stocks and inform management decisions.
Another highlight was the creation of a joint working group with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on South Pacific albacore, strengthening collaboration across tuna RFMOs.
Strengthening FAD Management
On fish aggregating devices (FADs), delegates expanded requirements for keeping satellite buoy communications active. Now, vessel operators must maintain the active buoys drifting south of 10°S latitude and west of 100°W — allowing recovery programs to track and retrieve devices before they strand on reefs or other sensitive habitats.
This decision supports the work of FAD recovery initiatives such as those in French Polynesia, Palmyra Atoll, and Galápagos Islands aligning with ISSF’s long-standing call for practical, science-based FAD improvements and reduction of impacts.
However, broader reforms, such as establishing a comprehensive FAD register and mandating the reporting of historical acoustic buoy data, were not addressed and remain priorities for future meetings.
Sharks, Rays, and Bycatch
The meeting brought only modest progress on bycatch and ecosystem measures. Positively, the silky shark measure was extended for two years, and seven additional ray species were added under IATTC management.
Yet other proposals stalled. A long-advocated proposal for a “fins naturally attached” rule for sharks was, once again, not adopted, while measures to strengthen protections for cetaceans, seabirds, and sea turtles also did not advance. Efforts to embed an ecosystem approach to fisheries management (EAFM) also did not progress, leaving ISSF’s science-based recommendations unmet.
Assessing the Outcomes: Hits and Misses
Overall, the 2025 meeting delivered significant wins on tropical tuna management, scientific research and monitoring programs, and FAD buoy deactivation — tangible steps forward that demonstrate the Commission’s ability to reach compromise, even at the last minute.
Yet the lack of progress on harvest strategies, stronger bycatch mitigation measures, and expanded longline observer coverage underscores persistent gaps in the EPO’s fisheries management framework. Without progress in these areas, the long-term sustainability of tuna fisheries and associated ecosystems remains at risk.
Looking Ahead
ISSF commends the Commission for its achievements in 2025, while underscoring the urgency of tackling unfinished business. Science-based harvest strategies, broader monitoring through observer coverage and electronic monitoring — particularly on large-scale longline vessels — and modern, science-based bycatch mitigation and ecosystem protections are essential to align with international best practices.
As IATTC prepares for its 2026 meeting next year, ISSF will continue to work with Commission members, industry, and other partners to encourage ambitious, science-driven progress for sustainable tuna fisheries in the EPO.
