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ISSF Publishes First Global Analysis of Tuna Longline Fleets Across Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations

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

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has published Characteristics of Longline Fleets Registered in Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations as of June 2026, a new technical report by Dr. Josu Santiago that harmonizes vessel registry information from the world’s five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs): the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), and Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT).

Longline fisheries play a significant role in supplying global tuna markets, yet information about the size and composition of the worldwide fleet has historically been unavailable from a single source, instead being dispersed across multiple RFMO vessel registries. By bringing these records together into a standardized dataset, the report provides fisheries managers, scientists, and other stakeholders with a comprehensive resource for evaluating longline fleet composition, vessel characteristics, and fishing capacity while identifying opportunities to improve the completeness and consistency of vessel information.

“Understanding the capacity and composition of the global tuna longline fleet is essential to effective fisheries management,” said Dr. Victor Restrepo, Vice President of Science and Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee at ISSF. “This report provides a clearer picture of the global fleet while identifying practical opportunities to improve vessel information that supports fisheries science and management.”

Key report findings include:

  • A harmonized dataset comprising 7,288 unique longline vessels, of which 2,283 are equal or greater than 24 m in length (large scale)
  • Global and RFMO-specific analyses of vessel numbers, vessel size, gross tonnage, fish hold volume, and estimated fish carrying capacity
  • Comparisons of the largest longline fleets by flag state and across individual tuna RFMOs
  • Analysis of vessels authorized across multiple RFMO convention areas
  • Recommendations to strengthen vessel registry completeness, consistency, traceability, and transparency

Report Provides First Global View of Longline Fleet Composition and Capacity

The assessment demonstrates that vessel counts alone provide an incomplete picture of fleet capacity because many smaller vessels are absent from RFMO registries, while a relatively small number of large vessels account for most fishing capacity. Although vessels measuring 24 meters or longer represent approximately 31% of registered longline vessels, they account for approximately 86% of estimated fish hold capacity. As a result, Fish Hold Volume (FHV) — which represents the effective storage capacity available for catches — emerges as a more meaningful indicator of operational fleet capacity than vessel numbers alone.

Based on these analyses, the report also identifies opportunities to improve RFMO vessel registries through more complete reporting of vessel characteristics, broader inclusion of smaller vessels where appropriate, wider use of International Maritime Organization (IMO) numbers, and continued improvements in registry consistency. Together, these enhancements would strengthen fisheries monitoring, fleet assessments, and vessel traceability.

Reliable information on fleet composition and fishing capacity supports fisheries science, monitoring, and management. This report expands ISSF’s library of technical resources by providing the first harmonized analysis of tuna longline fleets across all five tuna RFMOs, supporting more informed, science-based fisheries management.

Read the full report on ISSF’s website.

Shark Conservation: A Conversation with Sonja Fordham of Shark Advocates International

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

Our Q&A blogs with conservation experts explore shared priorities for sustainable tuna fisheries and marine ecosystem health, including how ISSF’s work contributes to these efforts. The views expressed by the experts we interview are their own. 

In this blog on Shark Awareness Day (July 14), we talked with Sonja Fordham, the founder of Shark Advocates International — a non-profit (501c3) project of The Ocean Foundation — and a member of ISSF’s Environmental Stakeholder Committee.

ISSF: Why are sharks so important to healthy ocean ecosystems?

Sonja Fordham: Most sharks, particularly the species that swim near and are caught alongside tunas, intentionally or unintentionally, serve as top predators in oceans. Although research into their role in complex marine ecosystems is ongoing, these sharks are generally considered vital for preying on weak and wounded fish and thereby keeping those populations healthy and in balance.

ISSF: What are the biggest threats facing sharks today?

Sonja Fordham: Overfishing has been highlighted as a threat to all of the nearly 400 species of sharks and rays listed as threatened with extinction on the IUCN Red List and the sole threat to
two-thirds of these species. This overexploitation is caused by both targeted and
incidental catches.

Sharks and rays are part of the same taxonomic class (Chondrichthyes, or fish with cartilage skeletons) and face similar pressures. While coastal rays — the sawfishes, guitarfishes, and wedgefishes — are the most endangered species in this group, pelagic sharks (and oceanic rays like mantas) are also in a precarious state.

For example, a 2021 analysis in Nature found a 71% decline in global pelagic shark and ray abundance since 1970, a period when catches tripled. Incidental or bycatch mortality in tuna and other pelagic fisheries is the main threat to Critically Endangered and globally protected oceanic whitetip sharks. Endangered shortfin mako sharks face additional risk from targeted fishing due to the relatively high market value of their meat and fins — and their lack of protection in most oceans.

ISSF: How do tuna fisheries management and shark bycatch mitigation efforts fit into that picture?

Sonja Fordham: Pelagic sharks have much lower reproductive capacity than tunas because of slow growth, late maturity, and few young. Sharks therefore warrant an even more precautionary approach in fisheries management.

While celebrations like Shark Week suggest that sharks are popular with the public, this appreciation has blossomed rather recently and is not necessarily being reflected in RFMO decision-making on shark protections. Sharks in fact have long been low-priority species within tuna management arenas, due to their relatively low commercial value and negative perceptions. As a result, there’s a paucity of long-term shark catch data that hampers scientific shark population assessments — and insufficient demand for conservation action as a result.

ISSF: Which advances in shark and ray conservation and management have been most encouraging over the past decade?

Sonja Fordham: While I have been involved in many successful efforts to ban the retention of particularly vulnerable or imperiled shark and ray species, I am particularly proud of the hard-fought progress in the Atlantic toward setting international fishing limits on commercially valuable shark species.

Most notably, the International Commission for Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) — one of the world’s four major tropical-tuna Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs) — has adopted science-based fishing limits on North and South Atlantic blue sharks for fleets in its region. ICCAT has also allocated overall blue shark quotas among fishing nations, which is vital for accountability on avoiding quota overages.

I’m also encouraged by ICCAT’s increasing, country-specific scrutiny of vessel compliance with shark and ray conservation measures. In both of these areas, ICCAT serves as a good model for the other tropical-tuna RFMOs, which have not set limits on fishing commercially exploited blue (or mako) sharks — and lack rigor and transparency in their compliance monitoring of bycatch measures overall.

ISSF: Which approaches show the greatest promise for reducing shark and ray bycatch and improving survival?

Sonja Fordham: For me, the most exciting bycatch reduction advance in recent years has been the development of a sorting grid fishers can use to safely remove incidentally caught manta and devil rays (mobulids) from purse seines and release them back into the ocean.

For leading this initiative, Dr. Melissa Cronin won the Grand Prize in ISSF’s 2020 Seafood Sustainability Contest. Through further testing, she has now demonstrated how the grid can be used to quickly release mobulids while keeping them flat and untwisted, which lessens their stress and increases their chances of survival. The grid’s simplicity and low cost improve its broad adoption potential in tuna fisheries.

On sharks, ISSF has long led research and policy work to mitigate bycatch, and support the safe release, of oceanic whitetip and silky sharks in purse-seine fisheries. ISSF also has been successful in efforts to end the use of traditional fish aggregating device (FAD) designs that entangle sharks and other species.

There also is increasing interest in shifting pelagic longline fishers away from using wire leaders and J-shaped hooks, which contribute to shark and other species bycatch, and switching to monofilament leaders and large circle hooks. Large circle hooks cause less internal damage to sharks than J-hooks but have been associated with increased shark catch in some studies. Monofilament leaders can reduce shark bycatch because the sharks are more able to bite their way free. Two RFMOs, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), have taken steps to restrict the use of wire leaders; however, despite broad support for that restriction, governments with fleets that want to retain shark catches have resisted requiring fishers to use monofilament leaders.

ISSF: Can you describe some of Shark Advocates International’s current collaborative projects with other NGOs?

Sonja Fordham: I’m really grateful that SAI is able to collaborate with other NGOs through the ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee and the NGO Tuna Forum. These initiatives are made up of groups with varied expertise and priorities, yet we have very similar conservation goals when it comes to high-seas tuna fisheries. We find that a large array of organizations delivering the same message can greatly enhance individual groups’ influence, and of course we learn a lot from each other.

My international fisheries work is focused on the Atlantic and carried out in close coordination with Shark Trust and Ecology Action Centre as part of a coalition called the Shark League. Our website (sharkleague.org) has a wealth of information on our specific shark conservation priorities for ICCAT.

Q. In closing, what are the top actions tuna RFMOs could take today to better protect shark populations?

Sonja Fordham: First, RFMOs could act immediately to strengthen their bans on the wasteful practice of shark finning (slicing off a shark’s fins and discarding the carcass at sea) by requiring that all sharks be landed with their fins still attached without exceptions or alternatives. This is by far the most reliable way to enforce finning bans. It also would help to collect more species-specific catch data that is vital for assessing populations and monitoring compliance with other protections. Over nearly two decades, most of the world’s fishing nations at all the tuna RFMOs have supported such a change, but a small number continue to block adoption (without exceptions).

Another urgently needed improvement is increased monitoring of RFMO-managed pelagic longline fleets globally. Increased observer coverage (at least 20% but ideally reaching 100%) is essential for reliably recording bycatch of non-target species (including sharks), supporting robust population assessments for commercial species (including sharks), monitoring implementation of bycatch measures or catch limits, and evaluating a variety of bycatch mitigation measures.

And finally, until sustainable catch levels can be determined with reasonable certainty, RFMOs should also be setting precautionary limits for all pelagic shark and rays, including retention bans for particularly vulnerable species.

 

 

ISSF Annual Compliance Report Shows Continued High Conformance with Science-Based Conservation Measures for Sustainable Tuna Fisheries

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

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has published its latest ISSF Annual Conservation Measures & ProActive Vessel Register Compliance Report, providing independently audited results on implementation of ISSF Conservation Measures by participating companies and vessels listed on the ISSF ProActive Vessel Register (PVR).

For the 2025 audit period, the 24 ISSF participating companies achieved a 98.8% conformance rate across 32 ISSF conservation measures. The report also summarizes aggregate compliance on the PVR for the vessel-related measures it tracks. Independent audits were conducted by MRAG Americas in accordance with established ISSF audit protocols, providing stakeholders with transparent, independently verified information on implementation of ISSF conservation measures by participating companies and PVR vessels.

“ISSF’s Conservation Measures are more than commitments on paper,” said Susan Jackson, ISSF President. “For the tenth consecutive year, participating companies achieved more than 90% conformance with ISSF Conservation Measures, reflecting a sustained commitment to implementing science-based best practices. Independent auditing and public reporting help demonstrate how those measures are being implemented by participating companies and PVR-listed vessels. Together, they provide an important level of accountability that supports ISSF’s science-based approach to tuna fisheries.”

Company Compliance Results

The report documents progress by ISSF participating companies in advancing tuna fishery sustainability. It tracks conformance with a broad range of ISSF conservation measures, including:

“ISSF Conservation Measures reflect years of scientific research and practical experience across tuna fisheries,” said Dr. Victor Restrepo, ISSF Vice President, Science and Chair of the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee. “As new science, technologies, and fisheries management priorities emerge, the measures continue to evolve to provide science-based approaches for addressing challenges ranging from traceability and monitoring to bycatch mitigation and FAD management.”

Among the 24 participating companies audited:

  • 17 companies were in full conformance with all 32 ISSF conservation measures
  • Two companies recorded two minor non-conformances
  • Four companies recorded one minor non-conformance
  • One company recorded one major non-conformance

The report also includes updated company reporting under Conservation Measure 2.5 – Transparency in Reporting Progress Against ISSF’s Five-Year Goal, summarizing fishery sources and supplier sources reported by participating companies.

ProActive Vessel Register Compliance

The PVR is a public vessel transparency initiative through which participating vessels agree to undergo regular auditing to verify implementation of applicable ISSF conservation measures. Independent audits evaluate vessel information and operational practices through a combination of administrative reviews and sample-based vessel audits.

The ISSF Annual Conservation Measures & ProActive Vessel Register Compliance Report includes aggregate PVR compliance, covering vessel-related measures such as:

  • RFMO authorization and participation
  • Shark finning policy
  • Large-scale pelagic driftnet prohibition
  • Full retention of tunas
  • Skipper best practices
  • Use of non-entangling FADs
  • Best practices for sharks, sea turtles and seabirds
  • Vessel-based FAD management policies
  • Unique vessel identifiers
  • Observer coverage
  • IUU fishing

In 2025, PVR-listed vessels demonstrated an aggregate 75.6% compliance with the 11 ISSF conservation measures applicable to vessel operations. The report also provides detailed aggregate results across the Pass, In Process and Fail audit categories, as well as measure-specific results for each conservation measure.

In addition to this summary report, MRAG Americas issues individual company compliance reports, which ISSF publishes on its website. PVR vessel compliance details are available on the PVR.

ISSF will publish the Update to the Annual Conservation Measures & ProActive Vessel Register Compliance Report in the fourth quarter of 2026 to reflect any improvements made by participating companies. Such updates will be noted in individual company reports available online.

Setting the Record Straight on IUU Fishing in the Western and Central Pacific

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a serious problem in ocean fisheries worldwide, and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) — home to the world’s largest tuna fishery — is no exception.

But when it comes to reporting on its scale and impact, accuracy matters enormously. Inflated or misleading estimates do a disservice to those working to help ensure WCPO tuna fisheries are managed sustainably and can distract from efforts to address key drivers of IUU fishing. Two major studies by the Marine Resources Assessment Group (MRAG), published in 2016 and 2021, provide the most rigorous assessment of IUU activity in this region. Understanding what those studies actually say — and what they do not — is essential.

Unpacking the Numbers: What the MRAG Studies Found

The 2021 MRAG report represented a significant refinement over its 2016 predecessor, employing a more rigorous “bottom-up” methodology and drawing on more reliable data sources. Its headline finding was striking: Overall IUU-implicated fishing in the region was estimated at 184,000–201,000 tonnes, with a catch value of US$312–358 million. This was substantially lower than the 2016 report’s estimate of 277,000–338,000 tonnes valued at US$616–740 million.

Despite these findings, older and superseded figures continue to circulate widely. Recent reporting has cited estimates of illegal fishing impacts that bear little relation to the best available science. While such figures may attract attention, they can also distort public understanding of the scale and nature of IUU activity. Effective policy discussions depend on using the most current and rigorous assessments available.

Catch Value Is Not the Same as Revenue Loss

A fundamental error in many media reports is conflating the estimated value of IUU catch with revenue losses for Pacific Island governments. These are very different things. Governments collect licence fees, and, in the WCPO region, these are almost universally based on fishing days, not on catch volumes or values. A vessel catching fish illegally therefore does not automatically translate into a dollar-for-dollar loss for a Pacific Island government.

A more meaningful indicator is the economic rent associated with IUU activity, which the 2021 MRAG study estimated at approximately US$43 million. Even this figure may overstate actual government losses given the structure of licensing arrangements. But it is a far cry from the hundreds of millions routinely cited in the popular press.

Breaking Down the IUU Categories

The 2021 MRAG report disaggregates IUU activity into four risk categories: unlicensed or unauthorised fishing; misreporting; non-compliance with licence conditions (such as shark finning); and post-harvest risks such as illegal transhipping. Only the first category — unlicensed fishing — results in a direct revenue loss to Pacific Island states. Crucially, this category was estimated to account for just 5% of total IUU-implicated activity, representing a direct monetary impact of approximately US$15–18 million across the entire region.

The largest single component, accounting for around 72% of IUU-implicated catch, was misreporting in the purse seine sector. The WCPO purse seine fishery operates under 100% observer coverage — among other monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) regulations — and the reported anomalies generally arise from inherent imprecision in estimating brail weights and species composition at sea, well-known limitations that are routinely corrected using observer sampling data. Classifying these estimation differences as “IUU” misrepresents the nature and scope of the problem.

For longline vessels, the picture is quite different: Fish are individually handled and so catches should be accurately reported. However, observer coverage is limited for longliners (WCPFC requires a minimum of 5%), and the MRAG report noted that there is persistent underreporting of bigeye and billfish catches in particular, pointing to the need for further scrutiny.

Progress Made, Vigilance Required

None of this is to suggest that IUU fishing is not a real concern. It is — and Pacific Island nations have profound economic and social stakes in the health of their tuna resources. The risks that existed when 200-mile exclusive economic zones were first declared have, however, been substantially moderated by decades of investment in monitoring, control and surveillance. Regional bodies including the Forum Fisheries Agency, the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission have built increasingly robust observer programmes, vessel monitoring systems, data collection and reporting infrastructures, and at-sea surveillance operation – all of which strengthen the transparency and accountability of the fishery.

Continued vigilance is essential — and so is communicating honestly about the challenges that remain. Exaggerated or outdated statistics may attract attention and headlines, but they ultimately undermine the credibility of the very institutions and advocates working hardest to protect Pacific tuna resources. The integrity of the fishery depends not only on the actions of those on the water, but on the quality of the information that shapes policy onshore.


Dr. John Hampton is a fisheries scientist with more than four decades of experience in Pacific tuna fisheries science and management. He served as Chief Fisheries Scientist at the Pacific Community (SPC) and was a long-time member of the ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee.

 

Three Oceans, Five Systems, One Shared Challenge: Strengthening Tuna At-Sea Transshipment Governance

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

At-sea transshipment sits at a critical point in the global seafood supply chain, where strong oversight helps support sustainable fisheries management, supply chain transparency, and accountability across oceans. It can also support efficient fishing operations. However, because transshipment activities often occur far from shore and across multiple jurisdictions, weak monitoring and regulation can undermine responsible fisheries management and create opportunities for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.

ISSF 2026-02: Benchmarking Tuna RFMO At-Sea Transshipment Measures Against the 2022 FAO Voluntary Guides for Transshipment examines how the world’s five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) align with the FAO Guidelines for Transshipment — the first global framework specifically developed to support effective transshipment governance. Throughout ISSF’s 17-year history, we have studied RFMO transshipment rules and outcomes — and advocated for more effective RFMO transshipment policies in tuna fishing.

Our new report benchmarks the at-sea transshipment measures of CCSBT, IATTC, IOTC and WCPFC against the FAO Guidelines and identifies practical opportunities to strengthen implementation over time. While our analysis found that no tuna RFMO has yet fully implemented the Guidelines, all have already established important foundations for making future progress.

In fact, all tuna RFMOs already instituted many of the key elements for good management: Vessel authorization systems, observer programs, vessel monitoring systems (VMS), data collection, verification frameworks, and follow-up procedures exist in various forms.

The report’s recommendations are intended to help strengthen, harmonize, and enhance these systems to reduce the likelihood of IUU fishing activities and of products of IUU activities flowing into global markets.

Why Coordination Among RFMOs Matters

Carrier vessels and longline fishing fleets routinely move across RFMO boundaries, sometimes operating under multiple regulatory systems within a single fishing season. That creates a practical challenge: Even strong measures in one region can be undermined if information, standards, or monitoring systems in other regions do not meet the same benchmarks, or if information is not shared across RFMOs. In many cases, RFMOs do collect similar information, but formal mechanisms for sharing data, vessel histories, and compliance information remain limited and are often complicated by a lack of standardized data collection formats.

Some encouraging models exist, however, and greater coordination is underway. CCSBT has formal arrangements with three other tuna RFMOs to share observer and transshipment information. ICCAT and WCPFC both have established procedures for sharing transshipment data between them.

Building on Existing Strengths

Our analysis highlights the substantial progress RFMOs have made:

  • ICCAT has the most comprehensive overall framework for managing at-sea transshipment, including broad VMS requirements and prohibitions on vessels without IMO numbers from participating in transshipment activities.
  • CCSBT achieved the highest overall implementation rate against the FAO Guidelines, supported by its Catch Documentation Scheme, which creates strong traceability and verification capacities, and its data-sharing frameworks.
  • IATTC stood out in several core areas, including vessel authorization requirements and its regional observer coverage program.
  • IOTC has strong carrier vessel authorization frameworks and a Regional Observer Programme covering carrier vessels.
  • WCPFC demonstrated strength in transparency mechanisms and data-sharing, including mechanisms that support access to data for monitoring purposes.

Our transshipment best practices “snapshot” provides a detailed comparison of tuna RFMO transshipment measures, revealing alignment and gaps.

Building Toward a Shared Global Standard

Each tuna RFMO is at a different stage of development and modernization — and all can improve against the FAO global benchmark for transshipment.

Several common themes emerged in our analysis. The next phase of transshipment governance is not about creating entirely new systems: It’s about strengthening coordination, improving standardized data collection and interoperability, and making existing controls and monitoring tools more effective.

One top priority is improving coordination and data-sharing among RFMOs by establishing protocols for sharing transshipment information, alongside standardized data collection, accelerated reporting timelines, improved cross-referencing of data and enhanced monitoring through tools such as VMS, AIS, dedicated observer programs, and stronger Port state measures where fish is landed.

A second major priority is developing proactive, risk-based oversight mechanisms. No tuna RFMO fully implements systematic risk-based authorization processes for at-sea transshipment today. ISSF recommends establishing minimum standards and risk-based criteria for authorizing vessels to engage in transshipment activities — including consideration of compliance history, monitoring capacity, and vessel activity across multiple RFMO areas. This framework would focus monitoring resources while guiding consistent implementation across RFMO systems.

Our report contains an infographic that explains these needed improvements.

A Clear Path — and an Opportunity to Lead

Across all five tuna RFMOs, important monitoring, reporting, and compliance frameworks are already in place, and, in many cases, they continue to evolve and improve. The FAO Voluntary Guidelines provide a global benchmark that can align and strengthen these efforts.

Tuna fisheries and at-sea transshipment operations will continue to operate across oceans and jurisdictions — necessitating stronger coordination and monitoring, more consistent standards and better information-sharing — not only for effective fisheries management but also for improving transparency and accountability in global tuna fisheries.

IOTC Advances Several Monitoring and Bycatch Priorities While Tuna Conservation Challenges Remain

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

As the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) annual meeting concludes, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) welcomes several constructive outcomes for Indian Ocean tuna fisheries, particularly on bycatch mitigation, transshipment oversight, and continued investment in science-based management procedures. However, ISSF remains concerned that the adopted yellowfin tuna measure does not fully align with IOTC Scientific Committee advice.

Ahead of this year’s annual meeting, ISSF urged the Commission to build on recent progress in Indian Ocean tuna fisheries management by focusing on strengthening science-based tuna conservation measures and improving monitoring systems and bycatch mitigation measures.

The final meeting outcomes reflect progress in several of these areas, particularly for mobulid ray conservation, transshipment oversight, and continued investment in management procedures. Yet important gaps remain on tuna conservation measures, particularly yellowfin catch limits, and monitoring systems.

Yellowfin Agreement Reflects Cooperation, But More Progress Is Needed

Yellowfin tuna remained one of the central issues of this year’s meeting.

ISSF acknowledges both the effort by IOTC members to reach a consensus measure and their cooperative spirit throughout negotiations. The discussions reflect a willingness among members to work toward a forward-looking yellowfin catch limit agreement that all Parties will adhere to and implement fully.

The adopted measure represents progress toward a more stable management framework for yellowfin tuna. However, the measure does not fully align with ISSF’s recommendation that catch levels remain within the Scientific Committee’s advice of approximately 421,000 tonnes.

While the agreement includes commitments intended to reduce catches over time, the potential catch levels under the measure remain well above the level advised by scientists — possibly jeopardizing the health of the recently recovered IO yellowfin tuna stock. ISSF urges the Commission to continue refining the measure in the coming years to ensure catch levels progressively align with science-based limits and help maintain the stock’s recovery trajectory. Next year’s yellowfin stock assessment will help inform future management decisions.

The Commission also agreed to continue funding management strategy evaluation (MSE) work for yellowfin and albacore tuna in 2027-2028. ISSF welcomes this investment in management procedures and continued collaboration to support this MSE work alongside scientists, industry partners, and other organizations.

ISSF also welcomes the decision to avoid adopting a proposed skipjack measure that was not aligned with the recently adopted management procedures for the stock. Maintaining confidence in science-based management procedures is fundamental to effective long-term fisheries management.

Mobulid Ray Measure Marks a Strong Outcome

The clearest positive outcome of the meeting is the adoption of an updated measure for mobulid ray protection.

ISSF applauds the inclusion of safe handling-and-release best practices recommended by the IOTC Scientific Committee. These measures provide practical tools for skippers and crew to reduce post-release mortality and improve protections for vulnerable species associated with tuna fisheries.

This outcome reflects years of collaborative technical work involving ISSF scientists, fishers, vessel crew, researchers, and partner organizations to develop and refine handling-and-release practices. Translating this work into RFMO measures is an important example of how scientific research and on-the-water experience can support practical and implementable conservation improvements in tuna fisheries.

Monitoring and Oversight Continue to Advance

Several meeting outcomes reflect incremental progress on monitoring, control, and surveillance measures.

ISSF welcomes agreement to proceed with a voluntary vessel monitoring system (VMS) pilot program funded by the Commission. Continued progress toward a more centralized and adequately resourced regional VMS system would strengthen vessel monitoring and improve regional efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Commission also adopted a revised transshipment measure requiring transshipments to occur only between vessels authorized by IOTC Members and Cooperating Non-Members. ISSF has consistently advocated for stronger transshipment oversight and improved alignment with international best practices, including through adoption of ISSF conservation measures related to transshipment authorization and observer coverage requirements. The new measure helps close an important oversight gap and strengthens accountability for at-sea activities.

Another positive outcome is the Commission’s decision to maintain vessels on the IUU vessel list when insufficient flag-state action had been taken, despite requests to remove them. Upholding the integrity of IUU vessel listing procedures is an important part of effective RFMO oversight and accountability.

The meeting also included discussion on labor standards and crew welfare in tuna fisheries, an issue that remains relatively nascent within IOTC processes. ISSF encourages the Commission to continue advancing discussions on social responsibility alongside environmental sustainability.

Looking Ahead

ISSF is disappointed that proposals to improve information on smaller authorized vessels were not adopted. Better understanding of artisanal and small-scale fleet activity is important for stock assessments, allocation discussions, and broader fisheries management.

Even with these unresolved issues, the outcomes demonstrate continued engagement on improving fisheries management tools and advancing science-based processes. ISSF remains committed to supporting IOTC members, scientists, industry representatives, and NGOs in the ongoing work to strengthen monitoring, accountability, and long-term sustainability across Indian Ocean tuna fisheries.

Nina Rosen Joins ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee

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

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Nina Rosen to the Environmental Stakeholder Committee (ESC).

The ESC comprises representatives from conservation organizations who voluntarily contribute expertise and independent perspectives that help inform ISSF’s science-based work in global tuna fisheries. The Committee provides advice to the ISSF Board of Directors on issues for consideration before taking action on specific sustainability efforts, including the adoption of ISSF conservation measures. Through this collaborative structure, ISSF helps translate scientific recommendations and stakeholder expertise into practical action across tuna fisheries.

Ms. Rosen, who is currently a Project Director at FishWise, brings deep expertise in seafood traceability, supply chain transparency, and fisheries conservation to the ESC. She succeeds Sara Lewis as FishWise’s representative on the Committee.

“ISSF’s progress depends on bringing industry, scientists, and environmental organizations together around practical, science-based solutions,” said Susan Jackson, ISSF President. “Ms. Rosen’s experience in traceability, fisheries governance, and multi-stakeholder collaboration will contribute valuable expertise that informs ISSF conservation measures and broader efforts to advance transparency and accountability in global tuna fisheries.”

About Nina Rosen

Nina Rosen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Oceanography with minors in Scientific Diving and Fisheries from Humboldt State University. She also earned a Master of Advanced Studies degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

At FishWise, Ms. Rosen focuses on collaborative opportunities with seafood companies and producers to prevent illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) catch from entering the market. She works at the intersections of public-private partnerships, fisheries governance, and supply chain transparency. She also shares traceability guidance and facilitates multi-stakeholder dialogue.

In her role, Ms. Rosen has contributed to the Seafood Alliance for Legality and Traceability (SALT) initiative, implementing Traceability Principles in seafood-producing countries. Notably, she helped develop a traceability strategy for small-scale fishers in Tanzania. Her work focuses on improving data transparency to support decision-making that strengthens environmental, social, and economic outcomes.

Before joining FishWise in 2020, she worked at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, collaborating with researchers in the Gulf of California Marine Program. At Scripps, she focused on monitoring vessel behavior and understanding how co-management strategies can effectively sustain marine resources and livelihoods. Additionally, while at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, she engaged with recreational fishers and collected data to inform state management.

Learn more about the ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee.

 

World Tuna Day: Reflecting on a Decade of Measurable Progress in Global Tuna

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

Marking 10 years since the establishment of “World Tuna Day” (May 2) by the United Nations, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is highlighting a decade of measurable sustainability progress in global tuna fisheries — driven by sustained collaboration among scientists, seafood companies, and fisheries managers, with implementation led by ISSF participating companies across the global tuna supply chain.

Tuna fisheries are among the world’s most important sources of seafood, spanning all oceans and supporting food security, livelihoods, and global trade. Tuna are highly migratory species managed across multiple jurisdictions, presenting complex challenges that require coordinated, science-based management among governments, industry, scientists, and environmental organizations.

Since ISSF began publishing its “Status of the Stocks” report on tuna in 2011, global tuna fisheries have improved significantly. Today, 97% of the world’s commercial tuna catch comes from stocks at healthy abundance levels, and nearly 100% comes from stocks not experiencing overfishing — both the highest levels recorded to date.

These outcomes reflect many years of continuous investment in science-based fisheries management, strengthened oversight by regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), and the implementation of verifiable best practices by ISSF participating seafood companies.

“Over the past decade, we have seen what cross-sector, science-based collaboration can achieve,” said Susan Jackson, President of ISSF. “The progress reflected in today’s tuna fisheries is the result of coordinated action — across science, industry, and management — to improve how fisheries are assessed, managed, and monitored, and to translate science into measurable improvements on the water.”

Ten Years of Progress: Key Outcomes

ISSF’s collaborative work, supported by its participating companies, research and environmental NGO partners, charitable foundations, and RFMOs, has contributed to measurable improvements across multiple dimensions of tuna fishery sustainability:

  1. Improved Global Tuna Stock Health

  • Increase from ~70% (2011) to 97% of catch from healthy stocks
  • Nearly all global catch now from stocks not experiencing overfishing

  1. Adoption of Science-Based Harvest Strategies

  • Harvest strategies (also known as management procedures) — pre-agreed, science-based frameworks that guide how fisheries respond to changes in stock status — are now adopted or in development across all tuna RFMOs
  • Approximately half of global tuna catch is managed by RFMOs using these frameworks

  1. Verified Transparency Across Fishing Fleets

  • ISSF’s ProActive Vessel Register (PVR): 1,800+ vessels publicly listed
  • ISSF’s Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives (VOSI): 1,200+ vessels with verified practices
  • Approximately 83% of global purse-seine vessel capacity represented on PVR

  1. Independent Accountability for Industry Commitments

  • ISSF participating companies undergo independent audits against ISSF conservation measures
  • Company conformance has increased from approximately 80% in the mid-2010s to ~99% in recent reporting, exceeding 90% for a decade

  1. Measurable Reductions in Ecosystem Impacts

  • Widespread fisher adoption of non-entangling and biodegradable fish aggregating device (FAD) designs, which ISSF has developed and promoted
  • Expanded bycatch mitigation practices to protect sharks, turtles, and other species, including approaches researched by ISSF

  1. Expansion of Electronic Monitoring and Observer Coverage

  • Increased adoption of monitoring systems and best practices across fleets
  • Strengthened RFMO requirements and pilot programs advancing transparency

  1. Growth in Market Expectations and Alignment

  • 70+ retailers and foodservice companies now reference ISSF tools or participation in ISSF tuna sourcing policies
  • Greater alignment among industry and NGOs with scientific recommendations

  1. Increased MSC Certification and Fishery Improvement

  • Significant growth in tuna fisheries meeting or working toward Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standards
  • ISSF technical engagement supporting tuna fishery certification and improvement pathways

  1. Strengthened RFMO Management Measures

  • RFMO adoption of new or improved measures on harvest strategies, bycatch mitigation, and FAD management
  • Increased RFMO use of scientific advice in management decisions

  1. Investment in Science and Capacity Building

  • Coordinated global research programs
  • ISSF training of more than 5,000 fishers and delivery of practical, science-based sustainability guidance for on-the-water implementation

The Value of Industry Participation

ISSF emphasizes that these outcomes are closely tied to the role and activities of ISSF participating companies, which have committed to implementing science-based practices and transparent reporting. Participation — through the International Seafood Sustainability Association (ISSA), ISSF’s sister organization — enables companies to contribute directly to science, innovation, and advocacy that advance sustainable tuna fisheries.

Participation in ISSF conservation measures and initiatives enables companies to:

  • Demonstrate verified performance through independent audits
  • Align with evolving retailer and market expectations
  • Contribute to science-based improvements in fisheries management
  • Support the long-term stability and resilience of tuna supply chains

Companies across the tuna supply chain, including processors, traders, and marketers, can explore ISSA membership to support these efforts and access ISSF’s tools, data, and collaborative programs.

Looking Ahead

While tuna fishery sustainability progress over the past decade is substantial, ISSF notes that continued improvement remains essential — particularly in expanding harvest strategy adoption, strengthening ecosystem-based management, and advancing monitoring and compliance systems.

“World Tuna Day is an opportunity to recognize progress, but also to reinforce the importance of continued action,” Jackson said. “Maintaining and building on these gains requires ongoing commitment to science-based practices, transparency, and collaboration.”

ISSF’s newly released 2025 Annual Report, Science Driving Measurable Progress, provides additional detail on these outcomes, including advances in tuna stock health, industry compliance, RFMO engagement, and on-the-water implementation of science-based practices.

Readers can explore the report and ISSF’s full suite of tools and resources at iss-foundation.org.

 

 

Reflecting on a Decade of Measurable Progress in Global Tuna Fisheries

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

World Tuna Day, observed annually on May 2, offers an opportunity to reflect on the state of one of the world’s most important seafood resources. This year also marks a milestone: 10 years since the United Nations formally established World Tuna Day, and more than a decade of sustained, measurable progress in global tuna fisheries.

Tuna fisheries require some of the most complex management arrangements in the world. Tuna are highly migratory species that cross national boundaries, multiple jurisdictions, and governance frameworks, and they are crucial to global food security, livelihoods, and international trade.

Addressing the sustainability challenges associated with tuna has never been the responsibility of any single entity. Progress at a global scale has required long‑term collaboration among scientists, five regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), governments, environmental organizations, and seafood companies across the tuna supply chain.

New Milestones in Sustainable Tuna

Since ISSF began publishing its signature “Status of the Stocks” report in 2011, the global picture for tuna has improved substantially. Today, 97 percent of the world’s commercial tuna catch comes from stocks at healthy abundance levels, and nearly 100 percent comes from stocks not experiencing overfishing — the highest levels ISSF researchers have calculated.

Just over a decade ago, only about 70 percent of the global tuna catch came from healthy stocks. This shift reflects years of sustained effort to strengthen science‑based management, improve RFMO oversight, and ensure that conservation measures are not only adopted on paper but also implemented in practice.

An important driver of this progress has been the growing commitment of seafood companies participating in ISSF conservation programs. These companies put smart science and sustainability policies into action — on vessels, in fleets, and throughout the global supply chain. Over time, conformance has increased substantially, reaching approximately 99 percent in recent reporting. By committing to implement science‑based practices, report data transparently, and cooperate with independent audits of their performance on conservation measures, ISSF participating companies are setting an example of how to translate scientific recommendations into measurable, real‑world outcomes.

One of the most important management advances over the past decade has been the adoption of science‑based harvest strategies. These pre‑agreed frameworks define how fisheries management must respond to changes in stock status — improving predictability, reducing uncertainty, and supporting long‑term stock resilience. Harvest strategies are now adopted or under development across all tuna RFMOs, with approximately half of the global tuna catch already managed under these frameworks. Industry engagement has been essential in advancing this transition through advocacy to RFMOs in support of the use of this management system.

Transparency has also improved, reinforced by tools developed and supported through ISSF. For example, the ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) list and Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives (VOSI) tool provide publicly available, verified information on a substantial share of the world’s tuna vessels. Seafood buyers and other stakeholders use the PVR and VOSI to better understand fishing activity and compliance, strengthening market confidence. Participating companies have played a critical role by requiring transparency from fleets within their supply chains and supporting the infrastructure needed to make that transparency meaningful.

Focus on Tuna Ecosystem Health

However, progress has not been limited to target tuna stocks. Commercial tuna fishing’s impact on the marine ecosystem has been reduced through fishers’ adoption of non‑entangling and biodegradable fish aggregating device designs, as well as the use of expanded bycatch mitigation practices informed by ISSF research. Monitoring and compliance systems have evolved as well, with increased use of observer coverage, electronic monitoring, and improved data reporting by vessels.

Markets have reinforced these changes. Retailers and foodservice companies increasingly reference ISSF participation and use of ISSF tools within their sourcing policies. Consistent growth in the number of fisheries meeting the Marine Stewardship Council certification standard testifies to the success of science, management, industry, and market collaboration.

None of this progress has occurred in isolation, of course. Independent, peer‑reviewed science remains the foundation of effective fisheries management, informing stock assessments, risk analysis, and management advice. RFMOs provide the governance framework to translate that science into binding measures.

But it is industry that must operationalize those measures. Through participation in ISSF via membership in our sister organization, the International Seafood Sustainability Association (ISSA), seafood companies contribute to science, innovation, and advocacy that strengthen fisheries management and create resilient supply chains.

While we’ve witnessed substantial progress over the past decade, continued improvement remains essential. Expanding harvest strategy implementation; strengthening ecosystem‑based management; advancing monitoring and compliance; and addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing will require sustained commitment.

World Tuna Day is a moment to recognize what ongoing, science‑based collaboration can achieve to ensure that tuna remains a viable and sustainable resource for the future.

 

 

 

 

Bridging Critical Gaps for Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries: ISSF Priorities for the 2026 IOTC Annual Meeting

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

When the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) convenes this May, it will be to meet and make policy decisions after a period of tangible progress. Recent outcomes, like strengthened FAD management and the adoption of management procedures (also known as harvest strategies) for some key stocks, show what can be achieved when IOTC members translate science-based recommendations into action.

The focus now shifts to making progress on additional sustainability priorities for Indian Ocean tuna fisheries management. As detailed in the ISSF 2026 position statement, two priorities stand out: (1) reinforcing tuna stock conservation through effective management procedures, and (2) strengthening bycatch mitigation alongside the monitoring needed to support it.

Reinforcing Tuna Stock Conservation and Management Procedures

Management procedures are designed to guard fisheries managers against short-term decision-making and to instead follow pre-agreed, science-based rules. IOTC has made progress in this space, particularly on procedures for skipjack and bigeye. The immediate challenge is ensuring these harvest frameworks are indeed implemented — and function as intended.

Recent catch trends underscore this need. For both skipjack and bigeye, catches actually have exceeded agreed limits in prior years. When this happens, the credibility and effectiveness of management procedures are weakened. To maintain both stock health and confidence in the system, catch limits derived from management procedures must be fully activated in tandem with measures to prevent actual catches from exceeding those limits.

Yellowfin requires particular attention. Current scientific advice indicates the stock is not overfished and not experiencing overfishing. Maintaining that status will require sustained management discipline and compliance. ISSF is urging the Commission to adopt a total allowable catch (TAC) for 2026-2028 that does not exceed the level recommended by its Scientific Committee, and to ensure that this limit is respected in practice. Catch levels above that range introduce a clear risk of reversing recent gains.

There is also unfinished work on management procedures. Progress on yellowfin and albacore management procedures has been slower than needed, with funding and technical work still outstanding. Advancing these processes — including securing resources for management strategy evaluation and adopting permanent reference points — would lay the foundation for adopting management procedures for these two tuna stocks in the near term, further strengthening the Commission’s overall tuna management framework.

ISSF urges IOTC to secure funding for yellowfin and albacore work at this year’s meeting to accelerate the development of management procedures for both stocks.

Strengthening Bycatch Mitigation — Supported by Better Monitoring

Mitigating and reducing bycatch remains central to protecting ocean ecosystems. Sharks, rays, seabirds, cetaceans, and sea turtles continue to face pressure in the Indian Ocean, and existing mitigation measures do not yet reflect the full suite of current best practices.

ISSF is calling for targeted updates across several areas: requiring sharks to be landed with fins naturally attached without exceptions or alternatives; updating safe handling-and-release best practices for vulnerable species — especially for mobulids this year; and modernizing seabird and sea turtle measures in line with the latest scientific guidance.

The effectiveness of any bycatch measure depends on monitoring and reliable data. Without independent verification, it is difficult to assess compliance and effectiveness or understand the scale of interactions with non-target species. Yet observer coverage in the IOTC area remains far behind other tuna RFMOs, with minimum requirements set at just 5%. Increasing that level is a necessary and overdue step. ISSF is urging the Commission to adopt measures to begin increasing observer coverage, using both human observers and electronic monitoring (EM), from the current, inadequate 5% level towards 100%.

EM offers a practical route to scale coverage, improve data quality, and strengthen oversight across fleets. The tools are already available. Expanding their use would support not only monitoring effective bycatch mitigation but also broader compliance and fisheries management objectives.

Maintaining Momentum for Sustainability Improvements

IOTC’s advances in recent years demonstrate that consistent and forward-looking action can deliver measurable improvements. Sustaining that momentum requires follow-through — ensuring that agreed-upon measures are implemented and complied with; that management frameworks are completed; and that monitoring systems provide the transparency and data needed for accountability and scientific analyses.

ISSF will continue to work with Commission members and stakeholders to advance practical, science-based solutions. The path forward is clear: Align catch limits with scientific advice; complete the work needed to adopt additional management procedures; strengthen bycatch mitigation; and put in place the monitoring tools needed to make these measures effective.