Observer Training Guide
For tropical tunas, there is one main binding conservation measure that covers vessels greater than 24 m as well as smaller vessels fishing on the high seas. This measure calls for a one-month closure for longliners and purse seiners in a specified area.
IOTC has also adopted conservation measures for albacore tuna. The requirements include limiting fishing vessel capacity to the amount that existed in 2007 for all vessels greater than 24 m, and those under 24 m that fish outside their EEZ. If fishing for this species, fishers must become aware of the specific requirements.
IOTC also requires full retention of bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack tunas caught by purse seine vessels.
Bycatch Measures:
- No more than 5 percent of total shark weight can be shark fin
- Encourages the release of live sharks in fisheries that do not target sharks
- Prohibits retention of all species of thresher sharks and oceanic whitetip sharks
- Requires shark data reporting, especially in fisheries that target sharks
- Requires longline vessels fishing south of 25° S to use two seabird bycatch mitigation measures from a choice of bird-scaring lines, night setting, and line weighting
- Requires members to mitigate sea turtle mortality and to provide data on turtle bycatch to the IOTC
- Prohibits intentional purse seine setting on whale sharks and cetaceans