Malé, Maldives – The Maldivian delegation has tabled three proposals at the 26th Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) held from 16 to 20 May 2022.
The 26th session of the IOTC, held in Seychelles, is the first partial face-to-face meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic, with some participants taking part via video conference.
The three proposals tabled by the Maldives aim to ensure the sustainability of tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean for the benefit of future generations.
The proposals include,
Proposal for rebuilding the yellowfin stock:
- Reduce the total catches of YFT by 22% as advised by the Scientific Committee.
- Streamline penalties for overharvesting CPCs.
- Establish a drifting FAD closure to reduce catches of juvenile yellowfin.
Proposal on Skipjack:
- Reduce catch to overall catch Limit established and advised by Scientific Committee – Differentiate catch reductions based on historical catch, development status and country classification
Proposal on Climate Change:
- Improve understanding of the impact of climate change on tuna species.
- Build capacity on climate science of member States of IOTC, in particular, developing States, Least Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States.
A total of 15 proposals were presented by participating nations including Seychelles, Maldives, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and the European Union (EU).
