Pacific albacore tuna is the target fisheries for the industry in South Pacific Island countries - Fiji, Vanuatu and Cook Islands. Photo: RNZ / Philippa Tolley
The Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) hopes to adopt a management procedure for South Pacific albacore tuna at its annual meeting in Manila next month.
Tuna fisheries makes a significant contribution to the Pacific Island economies, with the value of tuna fisheries catch in the WCPFC estimated to rake US$5.3 billion annually.
WCPFC chair Dr Josie Tamate told RNZ Pacific it is her hope that the albacore harvest strategy will be agreed to by consensus at the Commission's 22nd Regular Meeting.
She said the strategy has been developed over the years, since the WCPFC adopted an interim target reference point in 2018.
"One of my main priorities is to progress the harvest strategy for the South Pacific albacore," Dr Tamate said.
"A lot of work has been undertaken over the years. We've had opportunities to work on some of the details and I'm looking forward to seeing this South Pacific albacore management procedure being adopted in Manila this year."
Dr Tamate said while many felt the management procedure, or harvest strategy, has taken long to be agreed upon, there were critical issues they needed to confirm, before firm decisions could be made.
"This has been in the pipeline for a number of years, but we needed information, and we need to have stock assessment," she said.
"So that information has been provided now. We're looking at the health of the species, indication that there's no overfishing, and the stock is good biologically."
She said there were reviews of the economics of the South Pacific albacore fisheries, which have been fetching lower costs.
"The economics of the South Pacific albacore has some challenges as well," she said.
The species is the target fisheries for the industry in South Pacific Island countries - Fiji, Vanuatu and Cook Islands.
She said the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) members wanted to make sure that there's viability in the economics of the industry.
The members needed to have the discussion and that happened during July this year, when the Forum Fisheries ministers adopted a proportionate allocation on the South Pacific albacore.
"I'm hoping that having that agreement within the FFA membership, that will now have paved the way towards some of the issues that they had to discuss internally within the membership," she said.
"Now, I'm looking forward to seeing progression of that."
Dr Tamate said the FFA members have had working intersessional in September, with the Second South Pacific Albacore Management workshop happening online this week.
The idea is to try and narrow down a lot of the issues that's coming through and understand that this is a harvest strategy for a major species.
"So, everybody would be looking at what's the impact on their work and how they wanted to see this fishery, like recover or make the conditions a lot better," she said.
"Because at the moment, some of the fleets are suffering, especially the Pacific long line fisheries."
Dr Tamate also revealed that the next big step would be to adopt big-eye tuna management procedures as well in 2026.
The Manila meeting will be held over five days, beginning on 1 December.
