The yellowfin tuna stock in the Indian Ocean is in poor condition. Although fishing pressure has decreased in recent years, the stock is still heavily overfished. Current fishing mortality and catches remain well above the level associated with maximum sustainable yield (MSY), while the spawning stock biomass is only 31% of its original level.
Pelagic longline fishing can be directly linked to threats to declining ETP species, particularly seabirds, turtles and sharks. Discard mortality accounts for approximately 25% of the total catch. More than 50% of the catch consists of unmanaged, unassessed or overfished species. There are indications that the fishery is likely to cause long-term changes to the food web or the functioning of the ecosystem. Pelagic longline fishing does not damage benthic habitats and has low carbon emissions. There is a moderate risk associated with abandoned, lost and otherwise discarded fishing gear, and no measures are in place to reduce this risk.
The management of yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean falls under the responsibility of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Data are collected for commercially valuable species such as yellowfin tuna, which is caught in large quantities by industrial fleets, but there is considerable uncertainty about the reliability of these data.
Measures to combat illegal and unreported fishing and to protect ETP species and the local ecosystem are largely ineffective. They are largely statements of intent, with weak enforcement and poor compliance. Sample-based estimates indicate that catches may be around 30% higher than those reported to the IOTC, while compliance with regulations and catch targets has declined in recent years.
Four pelagic longline fisheries are involved in a FIP, and one fishery is MSC-certified.