Featured News
Updated ISSF Assessment Shows Continued Progress in Global Tuna Stock Management
ISSF has published the 2026 edition of An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Criteria, an annual assessment that uses the MSC Fisheries Standard as a consistent benchmark to evaluate the world’s major tuna stocks. The latest report finds that 16 of 23 assessed tuna stocks now achieve a passing score for MSC Principle 1 (Sustainable Fish Stocks), up from 12 in the previous edition, reflecting improvements in stock status and fisheries management.
The report also shows continued progress in the adoption and implementation of harvest control rules, with nine of the 23 assessed stocks now managed under fully implemented, well-defined harvest control rules, compared with seven in the previous edition. While additional management improvements remain necessary for some stocks, the assessment provides a consistent framework for tracking progress over time and identifying priorities for continued improvement.
ICYMI
Priorities for Eastern Pacific Ocean Tuna Fisheries
ISSF has published its position statement ahead of the 104th meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), which will take place August 31-September 4, 2026, in Lisbon, Portugal.
The statement outlines ISSF’s priorities for strengthening tuna fisheries management, including science-based conservation measures, harvest strategies, electronic monitoring and reporting, observer coverage, FAD management, bycatch mitigation, shark protections, transshipment regulation, labor and social issues, compliance, and fishing capacity.
Read the IATTC Position Statement
Did You Know?
A new ISSF report identifies 7,288 unique tuna longline vessels registered across the world’s five tuna RFMOs — the first time these registries have been harmonized into a single global analysis.
Explore the Global Longline Fleet Report
