IOTC Agrees To Japan’s Ask For Increased Bigeye Catch

Japan will get a 15 percent increase in IO bigeye quota from 2026 to 2028. The decision was made at the 29th Session of the IOTC Annual Meeting that concluded last week. Japan was allocated 3,684 tons for 2024 and 2025, which were raised to 4,237 tons for 2026 to 2028. The new quota was allotted based on findings that bigeye’s population is at a sustainable level in the IO, reported Japanese news sites. However, the IOTC scientific data from earlier this year revealed that bigeye is still overfished and that the 2023 catches were above the recommended total allowable catch (TAC). Japan captured over 28,000 tons of bigeye that year.

The EU and Japan were among the member states that asked for an increase in the bigeye TAC. However, catch limits were not applied across all fleets, and, as a result, if all CPCs maximize their fishing opportunities, the new measure may run counter to effective catch controls and the operation of the Management Procedure, read a statement from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation.