This Monday marked the closure of the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The conclusions of this meeting promise to mark a turning point for this highly valued species. The fact is that after years of drastic restrictions, marked by the clear objective of ensuring the survival of bluefin tuna, the 49 members of the Commission have agreed to increase the Total Allowable Catches (TACs) by 20% per annum over the next three years. In line with this percentage, the fishing quota for this species will reach 23,155 tonnes in 2017, leaving the 13,500 assigned in 2014 far behind.
This change in trend is underpinned by the scientific advice from ICCAT, which points to an improvement in bluefin tuna reserves in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. In fact, the reproducing stock could have quadrupled, increasing from the 150,000 tonnes estimated in 2008, which led to the launching of the urgent recovery plan for this species, to 585,000 in 2013.
This measure, however, is not without some controversy since, in this type of agreement, it doesn’t please everyone. While some environmentalist organizations consider that the Commission has been too hasty, countries such as Japan or Spain view the increase in quota as insufficient.