ICCAT, the Atlantic tuna commission, sets science-based bluefin tuna catch quotas in the Mediterranean – but fails to protect for vulnerable sharks, or clamp down on rule breakers.

The EU, represented in the meeting by European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki, strongly backed respect for science.
After years of mismanagement, ICCAT followed for the first time last year the scientific recommendations and set an annual quota at 13,400 tonnes for bluefin tuna fisheries in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean.

In spite of the lack of a new assessment this year, there was strong pressure from several countries to increase the quota, disregarding scientific advice. The EU, represented in the meeting by European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki, strongly backed respect for science. Proposals to increase the quotas were finally discarded.