16 Dec 2019

No room for complacency in Pacific tuna management

From , 6:02 am on 16 December 2019
The director of the Pacific Community's Oceanic Fisheries Programme, Dr Graham Pilling

The director of the Pacific Community's Oceanic Fisheries Programme, Dr Graham Pilling Photo: SPC

The director of the Pacific Community's Oceanic Fisheries Programme says there is no room for complacency in the way the region's tuna stocks are managed.

Graham Pilling has been at The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting in Pt Moresby where the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency resolution to consider impacts of climate change on tuna stocks, food security and livelihoods was adopted.

Dr Pilling spoke with Dominic Godfrey and says stocks of all four main tuna species - Albacore, Bigeye, Skipjack and Yellowfin - are being managed and maintained above agreed sustainable levels.

However, he says they are planning for the inevitable impacts of climate change.

Majuro is the world's busiest tuna transshipment port

Majuro is the world's busiest tuna transshipment port Photo: Giff Johnson