Most of the world’s tuna is caught in the Indo-Pacific, providing critical contributions to global markets, food security, livelihoods, revenue and economic development for numerous developing coastal and fishing States. The long-term sustainability of these fisheries depends on the effective cooperation of numerous coastal and distant-water fishing States through the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). While both organisations have legal frameworks that require science-based decision making, and both organisations have established scientific processes and adopted various management procedures and conservation measures, their effectiveness is undermined by opt-outs and exemptions that have been applied due to equity concerns.
This presentation analyses the cooperation and equity challenges that undermine science-based decision making, and explores opportunities to engage social sciences and address equity concerns, support UN Sustainable Development Goals, and ensure the long-term sustainability of these fisheries.