Coastal nations and conservation groups have described an agreement to restrict fishing vessels from using devices that contribute to overfishing as a “huge win” for tuna populations and marine life.
The adoption by fishing nations of tough proposals to restrict “fish aggregating devices” (FADs) in the Indian Ocean, follows warnings to EU officials from retailers, including Marks & Spencer, environmentalists and coastal nations that the tools are one of the main contributors to overfishing of Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna, because they catch high numbers of juveniles.
FADs have a “high environmental cost” they said, because endangered turtles, sharks and marine mammals are often caught when the devices are encircled in the purse seine nets of large tuna vessels. Lost or discarded FADs can also cause environmental damage.
At a tense three-day meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) over the weekend to discuss the issue, a last-minute proposal to reduce the number of free floating or “drifting” FADs used by EU and other purse seine fleets, was put forward by Indonesia and 10 other coastal states. It was adopted by a two-thirds majority after a secret ballot on Sunday. The unusual move followed a surprise withdrawal of its proposal by Kenya, then the lead proponent of a temporary FAD ban, which was backed by 10 other African and Asian coastal states.
Measures to be adopted by IOTC nations by 1 January 2024, include a phased reduction of the number of drifting FADs for each vessel, a mandatory FAD register, to increase transparency and monitoring of the devices and, for the first time and most controversially, a 72-day period where FADS are banned.
The closure period received the most opposition from the EU, who threatened to object to the entire proposal and said on Tuesday they were still considering options.
An EU commission spokesperson said they were “very concerned” about the results of the IOTC meeting. The EU share the aims of the proper management of FADs, the spokesperson said, and had submitted a proposal, which had a “strong scientific” and practical basis, to reduce their use.
“We were looking forward to a constructive discussion,” the spokesperson said. “Unfortunately the IOTC meeting did not allow for that. Instead, it adopted, without consensus, a measure that according to our assessment lacks scientific basis and that could prove impossible to implement, in addition to having extremely harsh impacts on fishers and local communities.
“We now need to consider our options. We are determined to make sure the IOTC becomes effective once again.”
Although the Indian Ocean is bordered by Africa, Asia and Australia, the single biggest harvester of overfished yellowfin – and indeed all tropical tuna over the past three years – is the EU. A distant-water fleet of EU vessels, mainly Spanish- and French-owned, harvested 243,001 tonnes in 2021, according to IOTC data.
Coastal states, the International Pole and Line Foundation and Blue Marine Foundation said the last-minute proposal would curb the harmful effects of FADs on tuna stocks, endangered species and the marine environment. About 97% of the yellowfin tuna caught around drifting FADS in the Indian Ocean are juveniles, according to the Global Tuna Alliance.
The organisation urged all IOTC states, including the EU, to abide by the measures.
Adam Ziyad, director general of the Maldives fisheries ministry, described the proposal as a “major milestone” for fish populations. Ziyad, who is also vice-chair of the IOTC, said: “I’m happy at the outcome, particularly because of the FAD closure measures. The IOTC is the only tuna RFMO (regulatory body for fisheries) without a closure policy so the 72 days will hopefully allow the stocks to recover.”
Jess Rattle, head of investigations at Blue Marine, said: “This landmark decision has been three years in the making and is a giant step forward for the conservation of tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean.
“In the face of immense pressure and opposition from powerful actors from the EU, the 11 coastal states and the other supporters of the drifting FAD measure showed true leadership and dedication to protecting the Indian Ocean’s tuna stocks and the countless coastal communities that depend on them.”
