Posted on November, 10 2015

Barcelona, November 10th, 2015 – As the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) opens its 24th regular meeting in St Julian's, Malta, today, WWF calls on delegates to maintain caution and keep following scientists’ recommendations on the management of Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna. A lack of caution could severely disrupt the current recovery trend. WWF recommends a maximum quota of 19,296 tonnes for 2016 and 23,155 for 2017 as established in the current recovery plan. WWF also recommends maintaining strong measures to fight illegal bluefin tuna fisheries.
 
“There are many signs of recovery for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna. But we should avoid any over-optimistic attitude until the stock assessment has really taken place” said Dr. Gemma Quilez Badia, Bluefin tuna project coordinator at WWF Mediterranean.
 
Loopholes still remain at the farming level. The use of stereoscopic cameras when bluefin tunas enter the fattening farms is a viable technology which could help to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing of the species. However ICCAT members apply different measurement methods, which don’t allow a strong reporting system. WWF is asking ICCAT Contracting Parties to adopt a standardized methodology for the use of stereoscopic cameras.
 
Another major issue remains the quality of data available to measure Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Bluefin tuna stocks. So far, most of the data used comes from the fisheries sector. It is crucial that a greater effort is made to ensure the availability of fisheries-independent data. This should result in a more accurate knowledge of the status of the species.

Until the new stock assessment takes place, WWF calls on all ICCAT Contracting Parties to maintain a precautionary attitude and ensure the decision on quota does not exceed limits established in the current recovery plan.
Mediterranean swordfish stock is still in a miserable state. WWF aks ICCAT to establish an ambitious recovery plan in accordance with ICCAT management objectives.
WWF also encourages ICCAT Contracting Parties to make real progress on the management and conservation of sharks, establishing a sustainable long-term management plan for blue and shortfin mako sharks in the Atlantic. WWF urges the adoption of urgent measures for the recovery of the Atlantic bigeye tuna that is overfished according to the ICCAT Scientific Committee.

For information / interviews:
Chantal MENARD - Tel +34 646 75 10 38 / cmenard@wwfmedpo.org  
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Summary of WWF requests at ICCAT 2015:
- Urgently homogenise measurements at farms level to ensure full traceability and keep fighting IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated) fisheries.
- Do not increase the TAC beyond 19,296 tonnes. Such an increase must be reviewed in light of the full stock assessment scheduled for 2016.
- Ensure independent data is used for the next stock assessment.