A NEW management measure for South Pacific Albacore will create long-awaited stability for fleets, coastal economies and global markets.
The measure was agreed after intense negotiations at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) annual meeting in Manila.
Pacific nations have struggled for more than five years through the Forum Fisheries Agency to secure predictable management that better supports domestic fleets and coastal communities.
Dr Wetjens Dimmlich of the Global Tuna Alliance welcomed the agreement which he described as a major milestone.
“But implementation will determine how quickly the benefits are felt on the water,’’ Dimmlich said.
“The Global Tuna Alliance and its partners will engage closely throughout 2026 to support work that delivers a clear, practical measure which maintains the integrity of the procedure and gives markets the certainty they need.”
South Pacific Albacore are highly migratory, moving seasonally with water temperatures, and form the core of fisheries in Fiji, French Polynesia (Maohi) New Zealand, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
Discussions throughout the week revealed deep differences between participants. Some sought higher catches to reduce short-term industry adjustment while others wanted to address declining catch rates and safeguard the long-term viability of the fishery.
South Pacific Albacore is a cornerstone of longline operations across the region, supplying domestic industries and major retailers internationally. The absence of long-term rules has created fluctuating effort and commercial uncertainty, particularly for fleets operating from Pacific Island nations.
A representative from American Samoa at the WCPFC said South Pacific Albacore was a key component of the territory’s economy.
“With our tuna industry providing over 80% of our private sector jobs and fueling our local cannery, the decline in catch rates has become a matter of survival,” he said.
“Adopting the South Pacific Albacore Management Procedure here at the WCPFC22 is the best path to stabilize this fishery and rebuild our local fleet.”
Next year, the WCPFC will negotiate an accompanying implementing measure which will operationalise the new management procedure.