As the 29th session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) opens today in La Réunion the Europêche Tuna Group (ETG) is urging contracting parties to adopt concrete measures to ensure effective and sustainable management of tropical tuna stocks.
With yellowfin and skipjack tuna currently in healthy condition and bigeye tuna showing signs of recovery under quota and catch allocation management, Europêche’s position is that it is the time for the IOTC to take bold steps to protect the gains achieved – especially by applying the same rigorous standards across the board.
Europêche Tuna Group (ETG) director Anne-France Mattlet commented that European tuna vessels operate with the highest social and environmental safeguards worldwide, including 100% observer coverage, full application of EU control regulations, prohibition of at-sea transhipments, and certification under both the MSC environmental standard and social standards AENOR (APR) and AFNOR.
‘Crew welfare is non-negotiable,’ she said.
‘Our fleet is audited against the International Labour Organization Convention 188, APR or AFNOR labels, ensuring decent work and safety at sea. These standards must become the baseline across all RFMOs, including IOTC. We urge all contracting parties to ratify ILO 188.’
The European fleet also play a key role in supporting local economies and food security in Seychelles, Mauritius, and Madagascar—countries that rely on these vessels for over 90% of tuna raw material needed by local canneries.
Europêche states that to maintain a level playing field and ensure the efficiency of IOTC resolutions, effective implementation of robust control measures across all fleets is essential.
‘Monitoring and transparency are the backbone of sustainable fisheries,’ stated ETG president Xavier Leduc.
‘We need a regional VMS system, accurate vessel registration – including for fleets under 24 metres – and high seas inspections to close control gaps and ensure everyone plays by the same rules. All fleets – large-scale and artisanal – are accountable for their impacts on tuna stocks.’
