In Bilbao, in the Basque part of Spain, the 13th meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) has started today. Over 300 delegates of 35 countries will be participating in the ICCAT summit, which will take place until November 4th.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is an inter-governmental fishery organization responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas. The organization was established in 1969, at a Conference of Plenipotentiaries, which prepared and adopted the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, which was signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1966. The Convention is open for signature, or may be adhered to, by any Government which is a Member of the United Nations or of any specialized agency of the United Nations. Currently, there are 32 contracting parties.
About 30 species are of direct concern to ICCAT, such as Atlantic bluefin (Thunnus thynnus thynnus), yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and small tunas like skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis), black skipjack (Euthynnus alletteratus), frigate tuna (Auxis thazard), and Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda). Several of these species are fundamental for the The túnidos species of and compatible those are around 30 that are ICCAT responsibility.
The Basque Government initiated its active collaboration with ICCAT in 1989.