On February 5, members of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission agreed to adopt new fishing rules to conserve tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean. The new measures will increase the monitoring of fish-aggregating devices (FADs), require all FADs to be registered, and restrict the number of fishing aids permitted for each vessel starting in 2024 (Guardian). Contentiously, the agreement also imposed a three-month ban on FADs in order to allow overfished tuna stocks, now close to collapse, to recover (Mongabay). 

The agreement passed despite sharp opposition from the European Union (EU), whose fishing fleets are dominated by industrial vessels that use FADs. FADs are a leading contributor to overfishing because they catch a high proportion of young fish; data suggests that as high as 97% of the yellowfin tuna caught around drifting FADs are juveniles (Guardian). EU Member States, particularly France and Spain, harvest roughly 33% of tuna caught in the Indian Ocean and catch more than 200,000 metric tons of fish there each year (Guardian, AP). 

For coastal states and conservation advocates, the agreement is being celebrated as a landmark. Commented Jess Rattle, staff at a marine conservation nongovernmental organization: “In the face of immense pressure and opposition from powerful actors from the EU, the 11 coastal states and the other supporters of the drifting FAD measure showed true leadership and dedication to protecting the Indian Ocean’s tuna stocks and the countless coastal communities that depend on them.” (Guardian). The EU has 120 days to object to the resolution (AP).