IFOP researcher attends international meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
27 June, 2024

IFOP researcher attends international meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)

July 3rd, 2024 Periodista Gabriela.Gutiérrez

The XV Annual Meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission was held in La Jolla California, from June 10 to 14, 2024. At this meeting, researcher Patricio Barría Martínez from the Department of Fish Evaluation attended on behalf of the country. IFOP fisheries.

This meeting had an extensive agenda in which fisheries in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO) were analyzed, as well as the development of the tuna fishery during the year 2023. In addition, the trend of population condition indicators and evaluations were shown. of tropical tunas, particularly baseline assessments of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis).

In general, it was indicated that the three populations in the EPO are in good population status. On the other hand, progress was seen in the development of extraction strategies for tropical tunas. Assessments of current conservation and management measures were carried out and a management strategy evaluation (MEO) for bigeye tuna was carried out. Additionally, the staff’s recommendations were made known in relation to the conservation and management of tropical tunas. A special topic was the working group’s report on FADs, which are floating objects, natural or artificial, that fishermen use to attract fish and facilitate their capture in the purse seine fleet. The study mentions a positive trend in fishing hauls over those planted in the EPO.

Regarding temperate tunas and other species, stock assessments of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), a fishery that is not overfished, were announced, in addition to management strategies for North Pacific albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga). ) and South Pacific albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga). These investigations have been conducted with other regional fisheries organizations such as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

The staff’s recommendations for conservation and management were also made known: temperate tunas and other related species, among which special mention was made of swordfish (Xiphias gladius). In relation to the swordfish fishery in the EPO, it was recommended to carry out a new stock assessment in 2026, with updated information for which the coastal countries and the European Union longline fleet committed to improving catch statistics and collecting data in ports and increasing sampling coverage on board vessels, and reducing knowledge gaps in EPO fisheries.

Other topics discussed were the ecosystem approach and bycatch, the 20 species of sharks under the jurisdiction of the IATTC were determined, including species captured in Chile such as the mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) and bluegill shark (Prionace) fisheries. glaucous). The IATTC shark sampling program and the proposal for best practices for handling sharks were also reviewed, where special mention was made of the work carried out in our country.

Regarding climate change, a work plan on climate change for IATTC fisheries was presented. Finally, the staff’s recommendations for conservation and management were announced: ecosystem and bycatch.

At the CIAT there are several initiatives and opportunities for collaboration with our country, from the scientific point of view, there is a relationship, communication in direct interaction with the researchers of this organization, and work links were established which facilitates access to new knowledge. and technologies, for the sustainability of our fisheries in the EPO.

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