Preliminary review of ICCAT, WCPFC, IOTC and IATTC progress in applying ecosystem based fisheries management

Oceanic tuna, billfish and shark species, the structure of their communities and food webs they form provide and sustain important high-sea ecosystem services for human wellbeing. International instruments of fisheries governance such as the UN Fish Stock Agreement have changed slowly the expectations and roles of Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) in accounting for ecosystem considerations in their decision-making when managing tuna and tuna-like species and associated ecosystems. Our main objective is to evaluate the progress of tuna RFMOs in applying Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM). We first develop a framework of a Conceptual Ecological Model for what could be considered a “role model” tuna RFMO. Second, we develop a criteria to evaluate the progress in applying EBFM against this idealized role model RFMO. In our criteria, we assess progress in the following four ecological components separately: (1) targeted species (2) bycatch species, (3) ecosystem properties and trophic interactions and (4) habitats. We use this framework and criteria to evaluate progress of ICCAT, WCPFC, IOTC and IATTC in applying EBFM. All tuna RFMOs have made considerable progress within the ecological component of target species, moderate progress in the ecological component of bycatch and little progress in the component of trophic relationships and habitats. All tuna RFMOs have adopted management measures to minimize the effects of fishing on target and by-catch species and none to account for the impacts of fishing on the trophic relationships and food web structure, and protections of habitats of special concern. Yet none of the adopted management measures have been linked to pre-agreed operational objectives, indicators and thresholds, precluding them to be activated when predefined thresholds are exceeded. All the tuna RFMOs share the same challenge of developing a formal mechanism to better integrate ecosystem considerations into management decisions. We plan to expand this review to include the five tuna RFMOs, so a baseline of progress in implementing EBFM can be established.