In this section you will find links to the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) responsible for the sustainable management of target and non-target species in global tuna and billfish fisheries. Key bycatch related links are highlighted for each RFMO.
The International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF) presents a useful overview of each tuna RFMO on their website, accessed here.
The Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for the management of southern bluefin tuna throughout its distribution.
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is an intergovernmental organization mandated to manage tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean and adjacent seas. The objective of the Commission is to promote the conservation and optimal utilization of tuna and tuna-like stocks covered by the IOTC Agreement, and to encourage sustainable development of fisheries.
The objective of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) is to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna and tuna-like species and other species of fish taken by vessels fishing for tunas and tuna like species in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, in accordance with the relevant rules of international law.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is an inter-governmental fishery organization responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention (WCPFC) is an international fisheries agreement that seeks to ensure, through effective management, the long-term conservation and sustainable use of highly migratory fish stocks (i.e. tunas, billfish, marlin) in the western and central Pacific Ocean. Conservation and management measures that are developed under the terms of the Convention apply to these stocks throughout their range, or to specific areas within the Convention Area.
