25% increase agreed for Pacific bluefin tuna quota

At an international conference held online on Tuesday, delegates reached a deal to boost the catch quota for Pacific bluefin tuna weighing at least 30 kilograms in the Central and Western Pacific by approximately 25%. The move, proposed by Japan, could see the annual quota rise from 11,869 tons to 14,836 tons in the years 2027 and 2028.

However, the plan faced a setback when Mexico raised objections, prompting Japan to engage in bilateral talks with its counterpart. After securing Mexico's support, the expanded quota was finally approved.

Pacific bluefin tuna catches in the Central and Western Pacific have been thriving under Japanese fishing operations. This has led Japanese fishers to demand a larger quota, as they have had to reduce their catches or release some due to the current cap.

The agreement also sees a reduction in the quota for fish weighing less than 30 kilograms, with the figure dropping by about 6% to 4,823 tons. Meanwhile, the quota for the Eastern Pacific, near Mexico, will see a slight increase from 7,581 tons to 7,740 tons.

The new management system, under negotiation, will automatically adjust quotas based on the resource situation, with reviews every two years. 1% of the catch quota from the western area will be transferred to the eastern area in each review to balance the disparity. Additionally, the conversion factor for transferring smaller tuna quotas to larger ones will be reviewed to accommodate the expanded catch for larger fish.

Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan will determine their quotas in the Central and Western Pacific through later negotiations. Japanese Fisheries Minister Norizaku Suzuki emphasized that they would continue urgent negotiations to finalize the details.