The viability of the Western Central Pacific tuna fishery is at risk from a failure to reach decisions on management because of competing political and economic goals, according to scientists attending the annual meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in Manila early in December. But the meeting closed today with a temporary measure that allows big fishing nations to continue to overfish bigeye tuna, said the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA).

Recent analyses by the Secretariat of Pacific Community (SPC) fisheries scientists show that overfishing of bigeye tuna is already a problem, while the albacore tuna catch has risen rapidly to levels that threaten the profitability of Pacific Island fisheries: 'The big fishing nations did not make any significant commitments to cut their overfishing of bigeye tuna. It is the big fishing nations of the EU, US, Japan and Asian nations that have historically overfished bigeye tuna. It is their longline fishing vessels that are responsible for much of the catch of adult bigeye tuna which is still fished 40 percent over the sustainable level' said PNA chair Nanette Malsol. More...