The recommendation extends the rebuilding program through 2018 with measures including fishing effort controls, total allowable catch (TAC) limits, annual quota allocations among contracting parties, protection of spawning biomass, minimum size restrictions, prohibition of transshipment at sea, and enhanced scientific data collection and reporting. The text provides that the rebuilding program for bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic will have a TAC, inclusive of dead discards, of 2,000 t in each of 2015 and 2016. It emphasizes the importance of cooperation between eastern and western Atlantic management efforts and calls for periodic stock assessments to adapt management measures to ensure sustainable recovery of the bluefin tuna stock. The plan also outlines procedures for research collaborations, quota adjustments, and trade measures in cases of quota overharvest or stock collapse risk, aiming to balance conservation goals with fishing activities.
2014-01-01