The Bermeo World Tuna Capital (BWTC) executives are currently in New York to participate in the UN High-Level Political Forum. Two events were lined out, one that took place yesterday and another to be held today. On Wednesday, BWTC hosted a meeting with UN representatives to promote collaboration around the sustainable management of tuna. Today’s event will be focused on highlighting how tuna fishing and processing can generate sustainable development in environmental, social, and economic terms, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN.

BTWC, a public–private global initiative, aims to promote sustainable tuna management, combining science, good practices, and collaboration across the tuna value chain. Albacora, Anabac, Opagac, Marine Instruments, Satlink, Atunlo, and Zunibal, are among its partners. Several topics including science-based management and sustainability issues concerning tuna will be discussed at the UN High-Level Political Forum from July 14 to 24. The UN declared May 2 as World Tuna Day in 2016 to commemorate this fish.

The Fijian government announced its 2025-26 budget earlier this month. Alitia Bainivalu, Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, said that FJD 24.9 million (USD 11.03 million) is allocated to overhauling the country’s tuna and other fisheries sector. The funds would be used for multiple purposes, including setting the foundation for Fiji’s move to enter two new RFMOs – the IATTC and CCSBT.

Bainivalu told the Parliament, where the budget was presented, that fishers need operational cold storage, fully-functional boats, and accessible markets to sell their tuna and other seafood catches, reported the Pacific News Service. The Fijian tuna fleet comprises longliners that catch albacore, bigeye, yellowfin, and some tuna-like species in its own EEZ and other Pacific Island nations.

The purse seiner ‘Beti Aurrera’ has been docked in the port of Madagascar for maintenance since early June and capsized on its starboard side just a day ago. Atuna contacted its Spanish owner, Albacora Group, whose spokesperson confirmed the incident, but could not comment yet as it is still unknown what caused the rollover in the dry dock. That has to be investigated before an official statement can be issued. The first reactions were posted on social media after news site Puente De Mando reported the incident. “I have never heard of anything like this happening. For everything there is a first time,” was one of the reactions.

The 85-meter-long vessel was formerly named ‘Playa de Aritzatzu’ and rechristened after the Albacora Group bought the seiner from Pevasa in January under its subsidiary Isabella Fishing, based in Seychelles. The vessel remained flagged to Seychelles with Port Victoria as its home base and has been listed under its new name in the IOTC vessel register as of February 3, 2025.