IMPORTANT NOTE: The catches recorded in this spreadsheet are considered the best scientific estimates for all IOTC species.
Catch/Capture(t) = Catch in metric tons/Capture in tons Species = Species English name Year = Year
Data extend back to the 50s, when industrial longlining started in the Indian Ocean...
Pillai & Satheeshkumar (2012) Data on tuna is lacking due to the highly migratory nature of the species and the associated cost (time and money) of research. The available data comes from fisheries, which have a history of under/overreporting catch to the FAO, and therefore could be biased, inaccurate and/or low quality. Recent studies have shed light on the movement patterns of tuna species by applying telemetry methods and have reported that temperature and food availability influence tuna abundance and distribution (Block et al. 2001). However, community patterns are less well understood (Worm et al. 2005). Tuna catching nations: • Japan • Taiwan • Indonesia • South Korea Lecomte et al. (2017) Indian Ocean = 2nd largest tuna production area (20% global commercial tuna catch = 1,000,000 tonnes annually, 16% of global industry revenue) 2 types of fleets industrial distant water & coastal state (mostly artisanal) “Vast majority of tuna fishers in the Indian Ocean are artisanal” contribute >50% of catches ‘Neritic tuna’ exclusively coastal species = 36% total tuna catch
Tuna catching sectors (6): • WIO canneries supplied by European purse seine fleet (Seychelles, Mauritius & Madagascar) • Local markets supplied by artisanal fleets • Iranian canneries supplied by gillnetters from the Middle East • Japanese sashimi market supplied by freezer long-liners • Processing units specialising in fresh tuna (sashimi & fresh markets) • Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified Maldivian pole & liner vessels These sectors account for 77% of catch in the Indian Ocean (trade turnover = $2.9 billion)