Press Release: Fisheries: tropical tuna management plan is a step in the right direction

The European Commission welcomed the adoption by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) of a three-year management plan for yellowfin and bigeye tuna. Key elements include a 30% reduction over three years in catches of bigeye tuna, and a two-month prohibition on fishing with floating platforms which are used to attract fish, to be extended to three months in 2010. Though these measures do not go as far as the results the European Union was seeking, they represent a positive step in the right direction towards the conservation of these stocks. This is particularly the case for bigeye tuna, on which scientists have been calling for a substantial reduction in fishing pressure. The plan also contained control and monitoring measures, as well as a ban on discards in these two fisheries. The Commission is committed to continuing its work within the WCPFC to strengthen and develop measures that will lead to sustainable fisheries in the area under its responsibility.