Chile and the capture of Jack mackerel in the South Pacific: Opportunity for a responsible increase.
February 7th, 2025Executive Director of the Institute for Fisheries Development (IFOP)
Fisheries management in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Chile and in the high seas of the South Pacific is governed by solid principles established in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
This international treaty grants coastal States, such as Chile, sovereign rights for the exploration, exploitation, conservation and administration of living marine resources in said zone. It also gives them the obligation to make decisions based on solid scientific data and to cooperate with high seas fishing States that extract the same resource.
In this sense, the Regional Organization for Fisheries Management of the South Pacific (ORP-PS) – created in 2009 on the initiative of Chile, Australia and New Zealand – has had Jack mackerel as the protagonist of one of the most successful stories of fishery recovery in the region. After being on the verge of collapse in the 1990s, it is now undergoing an impressive recovery process, reaching a biomass of 17.7 million tonnes (Mt) in 2024, far from the 4.5 Mt recorded in 1997. All of this is the result of responsible and collaborative management, where the ORP-PS has played a key role.
A fundamental principle of the General Law of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Chile is that resources must be exploited based on the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). This recovery of the Jack mackerel, above expectations, has generated a difference between the catch quota allowed by the ORP-PS and the available biomass that allows it to approach the MSY.
Currently, the Jack mackerel catch quota within the ORP-PS framework continues to increase by 15% annually. For this year, a quota of 1,428 Mt has been established, which represents only 28.5% of the MSY of the resource. However, Chile’s Scientific and Technical Committee has proposed a quota range of between 1,428 and 1,785 Mt for the same period, reflecting a precautionary stance, but in line with biomass projections and scientific estimates that validate the sustainability of increased catches.
Chile’s legitimate interest in proposing an increase in the jack mackerel catch quota not only responds to the state of the resource, but also to ensuring its long-term sustainability and seeking to maximize economic benefits for fishing communities. Given that nearly 90% of jack mackerel catches are made within the Chilean EEZ, it is entirely valid for the country to advocate for an increase at the next meeting of the ORP-PS Commission, based on the available scientific data.
This is a crucial moment for Chile, for the future of its fishing, artisanal and industrial activity and to ensure that the benefits of the recovery of this resource are distributed equitably. It is also an economic opportunity that must be taken advantage of with prudence and a long-term vision.
Without a doubt, the next meeting of the ORP-PS that will take place in February in our country will be a key space for Chile to defend its interests and continue leading the sustainable management of fishery resources in the region.
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