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97% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Abundance Levels; Nearly 100% Not Experiencing Overfishing

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

Ninety-seven percent of the world’s total commercial tuna catch now comes from stocks at “healthy” abundance levels, according to the January 2026 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. This increase is a ten-percentage-point increase from the previous March 2025 report. At the same time, nearly 100% of the global tuna catch comes from stocks not experiencing overfishing, indicating that tuna fisheries are not only biologically healthy but also being harvested at sustainable levels. Both figures represent the highest levels ever reported by ISSF.

Download the report PDF or read it online.

“These results did not happen by chance. They reflect many years of sustained investment in science-based fisheries management — including improved data, stock assessments methods, and management frameworks — the adoption of harvest strategies, and stronger oversight by tuna regional fisheries management organizations,” said Victor Restrepo, ISSF Vice President of Science and Chair of the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee. “When ISSF began reporting these metrics in 2011, only 70% of the global tuna catch came from stocks at healthy abundance levels, and just 71% came from stocks not experiencing overfishing. The progress we see today is the result of long-term, coordinated efforts.”

Several stocks showed measurable progress in abundance or spawning biomass (SSB):

  • Atlantic Ocean bigeye: improved from yellow to green
  • Indian Ocean bigeye: improved from orange to yellow
  • Pacific Ocean bluefin: improved from orange to yellow
  • Indian Ocean yellowfin: improved from yellow to green

The change in exploitation rate or fishing mortality (F) is limited to Indian Ocean bigeye, improving from orange to green.

ISSF publishes its signature Status of the Stocks report several times yearly using the most current scientific data on 23 major commercial tuna stocks. Related infographics for the January 2026 report are available here and here.

Key Statistics in the New Status of the Stocks Report

  • Abundance or SSB levels: Globally, 74% of the 23 stocks are at a healthy level of abundance — up nine percentage points since the March 2025 report. No stocks are overfished, and 26% remain at intermediate levels.
  • Fishing mortality levels: Ninety-six percent of the 23 stocks are not experiencing overfishing — an improvement of five percentage points from the March 2025 report. None are experiencing overfishing and about 4% are at an intermediate level — unchanged since March 2025.
  • Harvest strategies: About 52% of the global tuna catch now comes from stocks with adopted Harvest Strategies (Management Procedures). Key RFMO actions since the previous report include the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission adopting a management procedure and harvest control rule for South Pacific albacore, and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas adopting a management procedure and harvest control rule for Western Atlantic skipjack.
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: Sixty-six percent of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (9%), pole-and-line (7%), gillnets (3%) and miscellaneous gears (15%).
  • Tuna production by species: Fifty-eight percent of the catch corresponds to skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (30%), bigeye (7%), and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas account for 1% of the global catch.
  • Largest tuna catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes — all unchanged since the previous report — are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean skipjack, and Indian Ocean yellowfin.
  • Total catch: The global catch of albacore, bigeye, bluefin, skipjack, and yellowfin was 5.8 million tonnes in 2024, an 11% increase from 2023 levels.

The Status of the Stocks report is reviewed by the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), which provides advice on its content and ratings, following the agreed ISSF methodology. The report does not advocate any particular seafood purchase decisions.

About the Status of the Stocks Report

There are 23 stocks of major commercial tuna species worldwide — six albacore, four bigeye, four bluefin, five skipjack, and four yellowfin stocks. The Status of the Stocks summarizes the results of recent scientific assessments of these stocks and the current management measures adopted by the RFMOs, as of January 2026.

The Status of the Stocks presents a comprehensive analysis of tuna stocks by species. The Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to MS Criteria provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on Marine Stewardship Council assessment criteria. Together, these tools help define the continuous improvement achieved and the areas and issues that require more attention.

In addition, ISSF maintains a data visualization tool based on its Status of the Stocks report. The “Interactive Stock Status Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page. Users can easily toggle through tuna abundance and exploitation health indicators by catch or stock, filter by location and species, and see the share of total catch by species/stocks and gear types.

 

Acoustic Technology and Discrimination Workshop (2025)

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Videos.

In 2025 in Bermeo, Spain, ISSF hosted a workshop with tuna fishers and scientists to discuss how to use acoustic discrimination technology to fish more selectively and reduce bycatch. to convene purse-seine and pole-and-line fishers with fisheries scientists.

The video is in Spanish with English subtitles. The workshop was supported by ISSF, FAO, and AZTI. Learn more about acoustic discrimination research.

ISSF Adopts New Conservation Measure to Strengthen Social Accountability at Land-Based Tuna Production Facilities

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has adopted a new conservation measure (CM) related to social and labor practices at land-based tuna production facilities owned or controlled by ISSF Participating Companies.

ISSF Conservation Measure 9.2 – Social Audits for Land-Based Tuna Production Facilities establishes clear expectations for independent, third-party labor audits conducted under internationally recognized audit programs. The measure builds on ISSF’s existing CM 9.1 – Public Policy on Social and Labor Standards, strengthening implementation and verification at land-based operations. CM 9.2 was adopted in November 2025 as a forward-looking commitment and is being announced now to provide early clarity and transparency for Participating Companies and stakeholders.

Under the measure:

ISSF’s approach to social and labor responsibility spans both vessel operations and land-based activities. ISSF CM 9.1 requires ISSF Participating Companies to maintain and publicly disclose a policy on social and labor standards that applies across their operations, including fishing vessels. ISSF CM 9.2 complements that policy framework by establishing clear, auditable expectations for independent verification at company-owned or -controlled land-based tuna production facilities.

“ISSF Conservation Measures are periodically reviewed and refined to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment with evolving best practices,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “By building on our existing public social and labor policy requirement, this measure articulates the expectation that such policies are to be implemented and verified at land-based operations. Importantly, it reinforces that addressing social and labor risks is an ongoing responsibility — not a one-time exercise — necessitating continued industry engagement and improvement.”

As with all ISSF Conservation Measures, compliance with CM 9.2 will be independently assessed and publicly reported through ISSF’s established third-party audit and compliance review process.

 

The State of Global Tuna Sustainability in 2026: Momentum, Modernization, and the Path Ahead

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

As we begin 2026, there is real reason for optimism about the state of global tuna fisheries. After more than a decade of focused work by scientists, managers, industry, and the NGO community — including ISSF— the foundations of sustainable tuna management are stronger than ever. Most of the world’s tuna catch comes from stocks at healthy levels, and a growing share comes from fisheries managed under modern, science-based frameworks.

This progress did not happen by chance. It reflects sustained investment in science, improved international cooperation, and a shared recognition that long-term sustainability is not only an environmental imperative but also a prerequisite for resilient seafood supply chains as well as coastal communities and fishing livelihoods.

At the same time, 2026 is a pivotal year. The gains we have made must now be implemented and globally extended. Success will depend on whether tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) can continue to make the necessary improvements to transition to fully modern fisheries governance.

Recent Progress: Science Is Delivering

Across tuna RFMOs, we are seeing tangible results from science-based management. Harvest strategies — also known as management procedures, with pre-agreed rules for making fishing management decisions that respond automatically to stock status — are increasingly replacing annual political negotiations. These approaches are now in place or advancing for key stocks across all ocean basins, including skipjack, albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna.

We applaud this momentum: Progress on specific management procedures for some stocks underscores the value of science-based approaches. However, many harvest strategies remain incomplete or not yet operational. Progress in 2026 to advance or adopt needed harvest strategies for certain tuna stocks is essential.

We have also seen meaningful advances in fish aggregating device (FAD) management, including improved data collection and efforts to support FAD designs that reduce both environmental impacts and marine pollution. Yet key elements — such as the scope, pace, and consistency of reforms — remain unresolved in several regions and need to be a focus in 2026.

In addition, electronic monitoring (EM) is increasingly recognized as an essential tool to strengthen transparency and compliance for tuna fisheries, especially in longline fleets where observer coverage remains inadequate. Although standards and technical tools exist, progress toward broad, operational implementation remains uneven and will require concerted action in 2026.

Effective monitoring, whether human or electronic, is foundational. It underpins credible bycatch mitigation, supports compliance, and strengthens confidence in reported data. The tools now exist; the challenge ahead is implementation at scale.

Priorities for 2026: From Agreement to Action

Recent fisheries management wins deserve recognition, but 2026 must be the year of follow-through.

First, RFMOs must complete and operationalize harvest strategies across all major tuna stocks. Partial coverage leaves gaps that undermine performance and market confidence. In contrast, fully implemented management procedures provide stability for fishers and processors while safeguarding stocks against uncertainty.

Compliance and transparency systems must continue to strengthen. Robust compliance processes using verifiable data will ensure that agreed measures are implemented consistently across fleets and flag States, reinforcing accountability and trust.

Finally, ecosystem impacts cannot be relegated to a secondary consideration. Advancing bycatch mitigation, shark conservation, and protections for vulnerable species and ecosystems must move in parallel with stock management progress. Sustainability must not be measured only by stock status but also by how responsibly fisheries operate in the ecosystem. 

A Call to Action

For sustainable tuna fisheries, with a decade of focused efforts and experience behind us, we know what is needed and what works. We have the science, the tools, and, increasingly, the experience to manage these fisheries responsibly.

In 2026, ISSF calls on governments, industry leaders, and market partners to do three things: stay anchored in science, commit to full implementation of agreed reforms, and work collaboratively across regions and sectors to achieve them. Sustainable tuna fisheries are not built through isolated actions but through collective, sustained effort.

The progress achieved in 2025 shows that science-based management works — but delivering lasting sustainability in tuna fisheries will depend on whether RFMOs again turn those commitments into measurable action in 2026.

Biodegradable FAD construction workshops in Ghana 2025

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Purse-seine fishers in Ghana learned in a hands-on workshop how to construct fish aggregating devices (FADs) made with natural, local, and biodegradable materials to reduce plastic pollution in the ocean. Working with fisheries scientists, they built bio-FAD models — two cubic designs, and one cylindrical design — from start to finish. The 2025 workshop was hosted by ISSF with support from FAO, GEF, and the Common Oceans Tuna Project.

Skippers Workshop in Ghana 2025

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In Tema, Ghana, ISSF hosted a skippers workshop in 2025 to convene purse-seine and pole-and-line fishers with fisheries scientists. Together they discussed approaches for reducing tuna fishing’s impact on the marine ecosystem — covering FADs, bycatch mitigation, acoustic discrimination of species, and more. The workshop was supported by ISSF, FAO, GEF, and the Common Oceans Tuna Project.

ISSF Welcomes New Members to Its Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Committee

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) today announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors and two new members to its Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). These leaders bring extensive experience in fisheries science and management, economics, sustainability standards, and global marketing — further strengthening ISSF’s cross-sector approach to advancing the long-term conservation and sustainable use of global tuna fisheries.

New Appointments to the ISSF Board of Directors

ISSF is pleased to welcome to its Board of Directors Melissa Murphy, Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Corporate Entrepreneurship, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University & President, Melissa Murphy Marketing; Dr. Josu Santiago, Head of the Tuna Research Area, AZTI; and Amanda Stern-Pirlot, Chief Standards Officer, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

The ISSF Board is composed of a diverse group of leaders from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), marine science, government agencies, and the seafood industry, representing multiple countries. This structure ensures that ISSF conservation measures, with which ISSF participating companies commit to conform, are shaped by a balance of scientific rigor, market realities, and on-the-water experience.

“ISSF is unique in bringing together scientists, NGOs, governments, and seafood companies in a single governance model,” said Susan Jackson, ISSF President. “This diversity isn’t symbolic — it is essential to designing conservation measures that are both science-based and implementable in real fishing operations. Our new Board members deepen that strength.”

New Members Join the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee

ISSF also welcomes Dr. Patrice Guillotreau, Senior Researcher, IRD – French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, and Dr. Graham M. Pilling, Deputy Director, FAME (Head of the Oceanic Fisheries Programme), The Pacific Community (SPC), to its SAC — a group of leading marine and fisheries scientists.

In addition to offering guidance on ISSF research priorities and supporting the many technical reports ISSF publishes — notably the annual Status of the Stocks report and analysis of tuna fisheries against MSC Fisheries Standard criteria — the SAC also provides reference material for the ISSF Board of Directors to consider prior to acting on sustainability efforts.

“We are honored to add Dr. Guillotreau and Dr. Pilling to our SAC,” said Dr. Victor Restrepo, ISSF Vice President, Science & Chair, SAC. “Their experience — spanning stock assessment, harvest strategies, economics, and socio-ecological systems of tuna fisheries — will enhance the scientific foundation that drives ISSF conservation measures, policy appeals, and research efforts.”

ISSF also extends its sincere appreciation to two long-serving SAC members, Dr. John Hampton and Dr. Dale Squires, who are concluding their service.

Dr. Hampton served as Chief Scientist of the Fisheries Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems Division of the SPC, focusing on oceanic fisheries. His work spans the biology and ecology of tunas, fisheries monitoring, stock assessment, and harvest strategy development for western and central Pacific tuna fisheries.

Dr. Squires served as the senior scientist and economist at the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, while also carrying out his duties as an honorary professor at the University of Southern Denmark and as an adjunct professor of economics at the University of California San Diego. He has co-authored six books and written over 75 academic papers.

ISSF is grateful for their longstanding partnership, expertise, and dedication to advancing the science that underpins sustainable global tuna fisheries.

Learn more on the ISSF website: https://www.iss-foundation.org/about-issf/ 

About Melissa Murphy

Melissa Murphy is a Distinguished Service Professor of Marketing and Corporate Entrepreneurship at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University, teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses in Integrated Marketing Communications, Marketing, New Product Development, Launching New Products, Product and Brand Management and Brand Strategy. She also is President, Melissa Murphy Marketing.

As a seasoned corporate executive, Ms. Murphy has worked with an impressive list of companies and campaigns with worldwide recognition, including StarKist, Del Monte Foods, and Heinz. She has fashioned numerous award-winning branding and social media campaigns; championed employee management and communications to build brands internally and improve morale and employee satisfaction; managed numerous industry and company crises and issues; founded and/or managed multiple industry organizations; and spearheaded communications efforts for a myriad of corporate initiatives. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree from Northwestern University.

About Dr. Josu Santiago

Dr. Josu Santiago received his Ph.D. in Biology, specializing in tuna biology and tuna population dynamics. He is Head of the Tuna Research Area at AZTI (Basque Country, Spain), where he has worked since 1985. At AZTI, he has participated in several national and international research projects in the field of fish biology and fish stock assessment, particularly in temperate and tropical tuna. Dr. Santiago also has fostered scientific collaboration between AZTI and ISSF.

He has contributed to numerous publications and has been actively involved in the scientific processes of most tuna RFMOs. Since 2015, Dr. Santiago has been the scientific coordinator of the EU Delegation to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), a position he also held in relation to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

From 1992-1999, he was Head of the Department of Fishery Resources of AZTI and Chairman of the Albacore Working Group of ICCAT. Among other responsibilities, Dr. Santiago has been Director of Fisheries of the Basque Government (Spain) for three mandates (1999-2009) and chairman of the Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS) of ICCAT for two mandates (2011-2014).

About Amanda Stern-Pirlot 

Amanda Stern-Pirlot is the Chief Standards Officer at the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), where she leads the development, management, and review of the MSC Fisheries and Chain of Custody Standards. She is responsible for ensuring the standards remain robust, science-based, and relevant for global sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. Her role involves overseeing the technical integrity of the standards, managing stakeholder engagement in the standard-setting processes, and directing the organization’s work on assurance and standard-related policy to drive positive change in marine conservation and fisheries management.

Prior to that, as Vice President of Science at MRAG Americas, a marine resources consultancy company, she ensured that the organization maintained a strong science- and evidence-based ethos, producing high quality and credible technical outputs.

Ms. Stern-Pirlot also served as a member of MRAG’s Executive Team, overseeing day-to-day actions and decision making to manage projects and maintain company processes, business development, and strategic planning. Prior to that role, she served as MRAG’s Director of the Certification Division and expanded a program accredited to conduct assessments against the Marine Stewardship Council and other sustainability standards. She also worked as a natural resources analyst for the At-Sea Processors Association.

She received an M.S. in Marine Ecology from the University of Bremen.

About Dr. Patrice Guillotreau

Dr. Patrice Guillotreau has been a Senior Researcher at IRD – French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development since 2020, after serving as a Researcher from 2007-2009. As a fisheries economist, he focuses on the organization and dynamics of fisheries and seafood markets, particularly the socio-ecosystems of tuna fisheries.

He was an Assistant Professor of Economics in 1994-2007 and a Full Professor of Economics in 2010-2020 at Nantes University, teaching sustainable development and maritime economics (economics of fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, and marine renewable energy), where he also led several Master of Science programs.

In his research, Dr. Guillotreau has coordinated several international, EU, and national projects on seafood trade, margins, and prices in seafood value chains, the resilience of marine systems to global change, and the sea-borne sustainable development of small-island developing states in the Southwest Indian Ocean.

Dr. Guillotreau has published more than 130 scientific articles, book chapters, and study reports. He earned a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Rennes.

About Dr. Graham M. Pilling

Dr. Graham M. Pilling is the Deputy Director, FAME (Head of the Oceanic Fisheries Programme) at The Pacific Community (SPC), where he is the SPC lead in the Scientific Committee work of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) as well as in the delivery of scientific and technical information to SPC’s Pacific Island County and Territory membership.

He has over 30 years of experience analyzing, assessing, and providing scientific advice on tropical, temperate, and polar marine and freshwater ecosystems and fisheries. Key research areas include harvest strategies, pelagic and demersal fisheries stock assessment, and climate change impacts on fish stocks and ecosystems.

Since 2010, Dr. Pilling has worked in SPC’s Oceanic Fisheries Programme — and began leading the program in 2019 — providing stock assessments, analyses, and advice to support management of WCPFC fisheries.

Before joining SPC, he was Head of the Seas and Ocean Group in the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science in Lowestoft in the United Kingdom. Dr. Pilling provided stock assessment and ecosystem advice to the U.K. government and the European Union as well as on industrial tuna fisheries and artisanal reef fisheries in the tropics and Arabian Gulf.

Dr. Pilling received a Ph.D. in Fisheries Biology from Imperial College in London.

Delivering on Science While Delaying on Monitoring for Pacific Tuna Fisheries: ISSF’s Response to the WCPFC Annual Meeting

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) concluded its annual meeting with a mix of meaningful progress and consequential deferrals — outcomes that not only validate the Commission’s capacity to deliver science-based reforms but also highlight areas where urgent follow-through is needed. For the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), we must assess these decisions against what we urged WCPFC to advance this year.

This year’s meeting demonstrated that when WCPFC members align around shared scientific objectives, significant outcomes are possible. The adoption of an interim management procedure for South Pacific albacore and strengthened seabird protections underscore this potential. Yet on other ISSF priorities — including FAD management, longline observer coverage, and IUU prevention — the Commission deferred essential decisions to 2026, widening the gap between WCPFC and other tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs).

A Clear Win for Science: South Pacific Albacore Management Procedure

Among the most positive outcomes was the adoption of an interim management procedure (MP), also known as a harvest strategy, for South Pacific albacore — an important fishery for small island States and MSC-certified fleets — the top ISSF priority heading into the meeting. In fisheries management, the adoption of MPs represents a modern, science-driven approach that replaces annual negotiations with pre-agreed rules that automatically adjust management measures based on stock status. This approach offers predictability and stronger long-term stewardship for tuna resources.

With MPs already in place for skipjack and North Pacific albacore, this latest adoption further demonstrates WCPFC’s responsible stewardship. MPs are a cornerstone of ISSF advocacy across all tuna RFMOs, and this decision is an important step toward more resilient and science-focused management.

Seabird Conservation: A Long-Awaited Advancement

WCPFC also adopted an updated seabird conservation measure — a breakthrough that is years in the making, and a critical success for threatened albatross populations. The improved measure expands protections spatially and requires additional mitigation measures in high-risk areas, a needed response to steep population declines and high overlap between seabirds and longline fishing activity.

This outcome aligns strongly with the recently expanded ISSF Conservation Measure 3.6 for ISSF participating companies, and it is a meaningful reminder of how persistent, science-based advocacy can translate into concrete protections for vulnerable species. The seabird measure is an achievement worth celebrating that should motivate similar ambition across the Commission to act on remaining monitoring and ecosystem priorities.

Compliance Transparency: Foundation Set for Future Reform

The Commission also endorsed a recommendation that sets in motion a 2026 review of the data rules underpinning its compliance monitoring scheme. This step lays essential groundwork for eventually enabling observer participation in WCPFC’s compliance assessment process — a long-standing call from ISSF and its partners.

However, WCPFC remains the only tuna RFMO that does not allow accredited NGOs to observe compliance discussions. True transparency is foundational to modern fisheries governance; therefore, ISSF welcomes this preliminary but notable movement toward improving participation and accountability.

Where Progress Fell Short: Missed Opportunities on FADs, Monitoring & IUU Prevention

While WCPFC made progress in some areas, major priorities identified by ISSF before the meeting saw little or no advancement. The Commission must make these a priority of its work in 2026.

FAD Management: Continued Delays as Other RFMOs Move Ahead

This year’s meeting delivered no substantive progress on key elements of science-based FAD management. Members did not agree to a timeline to transition to biodegradable FADs — even though already established timelines are now being implemented in IATTC, ICCAT, and IOTC — or satellite buoy data transmission requirements. These were deferred to 2026. The Commission also did not include in the 2026 FAD workplan the creation of a FAD register, adoption of a marking scheme, acoustic data transmission requirements, or the development of clear FAD ownership rules — all essential components of a comprehensive FAD management framework.

Without accelerating progress in these areas, WCPFC risks falling further behind its RMFO counterparts in reducing marine pollution, improving scientific assessments, and strengthening monitoring of FAD fisheries.

Observer Coverage and Electronic Monitoring: No Movement Toward Adequate Monitoring

The Commission again made no progress on increasing longline observer coverage above the inadequate 5% requirement — a level the WCPFC Scientific Committee has repeatedly found insufficient for reliable bycatch estimation or compliance verification.

Although electronic monitoring (EM) standards were adopted in 2024, work to operationalize and implement EM did not advance this year. Achieving even an interim 20% observer coverage target will require fast-tracked progress in 2026. Robust monitoring — human or electronic — remains the backbone of effective data collection, bycatch mitigation, and enforcement.

At-Sea Transshipment and Port State Measures: Critical Reforms Deferred Again

Modernizing WCPFC’s outdated at-sea transshipment and port State measures was a central pillar of ISSF’s 2025 recommendations. Yet revisions to both measures were deferred for at-sea transshipment for the sixth consecutive year.

WCPFC’s at-sea transshipment rules fall far short of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for at-transshipment, especially in requiring 100% real-time monitoring, prohibitions on transshipments during VMS failures, and tighter reporting and notification requirements. Meanwhile, the Commission’s port State measure remains misaligned with key provisions of the FAO Port State Measure Agreement (PSMA), lacking minimum inspection requirements and clear denial-of-entry provisions.

These gaps undermine regional efforts to prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. ISSF recognizes the importance of developing necessary tools and implementation capacity to support these critical reforms to ensure strong port State controls. We urge the WCPFC to make this work a priority in 2026.

Looking Ahead: A Clear Agenda for 2026

WCPFC demonstrated this year that collective action grounded in science can produce durable reforms. The Commission’s work on harvest strategies and seabird protection demonstrates a clear result of commitment and focus on shared stewardship of the region’s marine resources.

But the Commission must bring that same commitment to FAD management, EM and observer coverage, and IUU-prevention measures.

ISSF stands ready to support WCPFC members in making 2026 a year of meaningful advancement on these issues: completing EM implementation and increasing longline observer overage; closing loopholes in at-sea-transshipment oversight; aligning port State controls with the PSMA; and delivering robust, science-based FAD reforms that protect ecosystems and reinforce responsible fishing practices.

We are confident that the Commission can build on this year’s progress and ensure the world’s most productive tuna fisheries remain sustainable, transparent, and well-managed for generations to come.