Currently, the Russian tuna catch is from 2 to 7 thousand tons annually. Tuna is caught by trawlers in the Central-Eastern Atlantic as by-catch in the fishing of other fish species.
Since Russia's accession to ICCAT, VNIRO has been involved in collecting commercial biological materials, summarizing and analyzing these data, studying the distribution and life cycles of tuna fish and related species, as well as preparing and submitting annual statistical and reporting documents, including the National Report.
During the session, for the first time in its history, ICCAT regulated the Atlantic bluefin tuna management procedure aimed at ensuring long-term, sustainable and cost-effective fishing of different bluefin tuna populations.
A plan was also adopted for the commercial development of long-fin tuna stocks, which provides for restrictions on catch from 2023 to 2026 and the installation of ODES in different regions of the Atlantic.
New measures for the management of swordfish stocks in the North and South Atlantic were agreed upon, as well as measures for the conservation of herring shark stocks in the North Atlantic and short-tailed mako shark stocks in the southern part of the ocean were approved. The measures relate to specialized fishing and by-catch.
In addition, the session participants discussed the dynamics of replenishment of ICCAT databases (ICCAT-DB) and the necessary measures to standardize both retrospective and new data. The priorities of the Secretariat for 2023 were outlined to improve the efficiency of collecting and storing information in the framework of scientific research.
Based on the results of the session, 13 new Recommendations and 4 Resolutions regulating various areas of ICCAT activity were adopted, the ICCAT budget for 2023 and the programs of scientific programs were approved.
The next extraordinary session of the commission will be held in November 2023 in Egypt.
For reference:
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) was established in 1966 at a Conference of Plenipotentiaries from Different Countries, during which the International Convention on the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas was prepared and signed. The process of ratification of the Convention was completed in 1969. Russia has been a member of ICCAT since 1977.
VNIRO Press Service