Tuna industry representatives and scientists were able to compare notes and listen to each others’s concerns at meeting held by the Europêche Tuna Group in Montpellier. This isn’t the first time such a gathering has been held, with 23 experts coming together, plus an MSC representative.
Fishing industry representatives have raised concerns about potential misinterpretations of scientific advice due to the inherent uncertainties of any stock assessment. They warned against significant negative consequences on purse seine fishing fleets as a result of uneven management actions within RFMOs that could also hamper stocks’ recovery.
Both scientists and industry representatives focused on the importance of using clear and unambiguous communication regarding stock assessment results in order to prevent any potential distortion of the information on stocks status. Consensus was that RFMOs and flag states also need to strengthen their compliance enforcement processes.
In an opening panel, scientists from the French Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), the Instituto español de oceanografia (IEO) and AZTI attended and explained their needs to produce better estimates for the stock assessment process, essentially pointing out the importance of data availability but also of clear, stable and consistent data recovery methodologies. Some new methods based on buoy-derived abundance index, sonar-based abundance index or even genotype (Close-Kin Mark-Recapture) are promising to determine stocks abundance.
In a second panel, scientists explained to the sector the functioning and implications for fleets of multispecies Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) for tropical tunas. This scientific process specifically examines the impact of fishing and management strategies on all the stocks of tropical tuna within each region, rather than focusing on a single species, hence recognising the multi-species nature of the fisheries and the interconnected nature of the stocks targeted, as well as additional ecosystem impacts, aiming to develop more holistic and effective management strategies.
‘Through open dialogue and frank exchanges of perspectives, both scientists and purse seine industry representatives have successfully achieved a deeper mutual understanding, marking the first step towards developing effective solutions,’ said Anne-France Mattlet, director of Europêche Tuna Group.
