Contributing to Responsible Tuna Management in the Indian Ocean: Updating Catch Reporting for the Sea of Oman and the Arabian Sea

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a long history and tradition in fishing, yet its role in regional tuna management remains yet to be fully defined. This is the case specifically of tuna species, such as yellowfin, which are highly migratory and require coordinated efforts in the context of a corresponding international governance framework, particularly in ecologically important areas like the Northern Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman. Data collection and species identification present significant complexities for these species, yet accuracy is crucial for effective conservation and fair allocation of management shares. Although UAE fisheries are partly within the area of competence of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the country has only recently begun to give consideration to the process toward participating in this Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO) which, in turn, would provide for the relevant governance framework for the species examined in this paper. This paper explores the factors behind these developments and assesses their implications for regional tuna management. Based on scientific sampling, we developed estimates of past landing volumes and propose mechanisms for ensuring data collection instrumental to an informed participation by the UAE in the regional tuna management framework under the IOTC. Finally, we explored the implications that this development would have under public international law, departing from the traditional principle “ex facto oritur ius” (Latin: the law arises from facts), which embodies the notion that certain legal consequences attach to particular developments. With regard to the specific developments being addressed by this paper, there could be certain legal consequences for UAE; following the reconstruction of landings and the enhancement of international datasets, we postulate that there would be legal ground for UAE to exercise historical fishing rights and seek a potential allocation of quotas within the framework of IOTC.