GLOBAL OVERFISHING

Challenges, opportunities and case study: Pacific bluefin tuna

Margaret Spring, Chief Conservation Officer

and Vice President of Conservation & Science

Monterey Bay Aquarium | 07.11.11

Inspiring people to care

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 Ocean Challenges

Increasing demand driving Land-based pressures on Climate change compounding

global overfishing ecosystem health environmental stressors

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Ocean Policy
Bipartisan by tradition

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Keys to Successful Implementation

• Accountable catch limits

defined by science
• End overfishing and
rebuild in a time certain
• Regional, transparent
decision making
• Performance metrics and
reporting
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Fishery problems
are solvable

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 . .

Consumers demand Businesses commit to Producers improve Governments

sustainability sustainable sourcing production practices improve regulations

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“A world in which responsible and sustainable use of fisheries
and aquaculture resources makes an appreciable contribution
to human well-being, food security and poverty alleviation.”
- UN FAO Vision Statement

• Legality
• Science-based management
• Transparent, traceable data
• Environmental responsibility
• Social responsibility

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Conserve and sustainably
use the oceans, seas and
marine resources

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Tuna

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Global Volume of Major Tunas by Environmental Performance (4,640 kmt, 2015)

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International

Enforcement

Traceability

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-85%
-97%

-87%
Boustany 2011

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2012 ISC Stock Assessment

Pacific bluefin tuna

at all-time low:
2.6% of
unfished level

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 Goal

Secure international
agreement on an effective,
science-based rebuilding
plan.
Growth rates of Pacific bluefin
tuna determined
Aquarium joins U.S. delegation to
WCPFC and IATTC

Aquarium issues first public

statement on need for action

WCPFC adopts preliminary catch

cuts and management plan

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
POLICY INTERVENTION
M A R K E T A N D L E A D E RMontereyBayAquarium.org
ENGAGEMENT
 NOAA hosts 1st Pacific bluefin tuna research
and stakeholder meeting

Discovery that physiology is a key driver of migrations

Policy letters increase pressure on U.S. to

prioritize Pacific bluefin tuna

Permanent advisor from the Aquarium appointed to

U.S. delegation to WCPFC

Appropriations request made to Congress with new West

Coast partners

Businesses engage WCPFC on sustainable fisheries

management

1st U.S. proposal for sustainable recovery plan created

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
POLICY INTERVENTION
M A R K E T A N D L E A D E RMontereyBayAquarium.org
ENGAGEMENT
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 Aquarium co-hosts Bluefin Futures Symposium
with Stanford University
Aquarium establishes MOU with Japanese
government to conduct joint research in the
western Pacific Ocean
NOAA holds 2nd research and stakeholder
meeting
Aquarium appointed as permanent advisor to
U.S. delegation to IATTC
Joint policy letters with key fishing group increase
pressure on U.S.
Raise public visibility through celebrity chef Ed
Kenney’s op ed on National Geographic
Mrs. Akie Abe and Julie Packard call for action on
Pacific Bluefin tuna at 1st Japan–U.S. Symposium
on Ocean Conservation
2011 2012 2013 2014
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
POLICY INTERVENTION
WCPFC-IATTC host 1st joint meeting on Pacific
bluefin tuna; nations agree to set long-term
2nd rebuild target in 2017
U.S. emerges as a champion, elevates calls for
action and prioritizes bilateral negotiations
Aquarium continues public calls to action
Businesses call for WCPFC to recover
Pacific bluefin tuna
Lubchenco-Damanaki op ed in the New York
Times calls for nations to meet international
obligations
Bluefin Futures Report and statement released
Several outspoken nations demand action in
2017 to set a meaningful recovery plan
2015 2016 2017
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ENGAGEMENT
 Research capacity
on fisheries expands
Aquarium statement at
International Stakeholders Meeting
increases international pressure
Conservation Research team leads
science symposium on bluefin tuna
Co-Chair Science Advisory
Sub-committee on IATTC
New evidence on evolutionary
developments
New migration research elevates
need for stronger cross-Pacific
management
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
POLICY INTERVENTION
M A R K E T A N D L E A D E RMontereyBayAquarium.org
Strong Aquarium statements
demand action in 2017
25th west-east Pacific tag migration
200 chefs publicly pledge to boycott
Pacific bluefin tuna products until
nations act
John Kerry issues Pacific bluefin tuna
statement via Aquarium blog
Pacific nations agree to new long-
term recovery plan for Pacific
bluefin tuna
Media coverage of Aquarium
engagement and responses to the
negotiation
2016 2017
ENGAGEMENT
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What’s Ahead?

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Chefs Speak Up for Sustainable Fisheries

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In the U.S. and around the globe, with emerging business leaders

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 Southeast Asia:
Aquaculture and
Fishery Sustainability

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Japan: Fishery Reform and the 2020 Olympics

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UK: an Emerging Ocean Leader?

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THANK YOU!

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Further Reading
• East not least for Pacific bluefin tuna
• Culinary boycott could be key to saving Bluefin tuna
• How one California aquarium is developing an ocean conservation strategy
with global impact
• Conservation & Science at Monterey Bay Aquarium
• 2017 Conservation & Science Report
• Future of the Ocean blog

Contact Margaret
• mspring@mbayaq.org
• Twitter.com/_MargaretSpring
Important Dates Ahead
14th Regular Session of the Northern Committee
September 3 – 7, 2018 | Fukuoka, Japan

Our Ocean
October 29 – 30, 2018 | Bali, Indonesia

Ocean Conference
Scheduled for 2020

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