Press Release: Fisheries: opening of crucial meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)

7 November 2009 saw the opening of the Annual Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Recife, Brazil. Key issues on the table for the EU were how to ensure the recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna, in particular by reducing the total allowable catches (TAC) and fishing capacity, the strengthening of compliance with ICCAT rules and the adoption of the right science-based measures for all fish stocks. The EU wants to ensure that, beyond bluefin tuna, the other stocks that need attention receive it and that the right conservation measures are adopted so as to ensure the sustainability of the related fisheries.