Stalled Fisheries Management Threatens Sustainability of Eastern Pacific Tunas
August 21, 2025 | 1 min to read
During the upcoming meeting in Panama from September 1 to 5, governments in the Eastern Pacific must seize the opportunity to revive stalled discussions and adopt essential science-based management policies for the heavily pressured Pacific bluefin and bigeye tunas. The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) is urged to modernize fisheries management to ensure sustainability and preserve the over $5 billion annual value of these vital resources.
Governments should use upcoming Panama meeting to reignite progress
A few months ago, governments in the Eastern Pacific region, building on years of promising discussions, were poised to adopt science-based, long-term management policies for Pacific bluefin and bigeye tunas – two species that face heavy fishing pressure. But earlier this summer, negotiations stalled, and now those governments might miss their last opportunity for the next year to make much-needed improvements in how they manage their shared fisheries.
So when the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), which oversees tuna fishing in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, meets in Panama City, Panama, 1 to 5 September, it must recommit to modernizing management of its fisheries, which are worth over $5 billion annually.
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