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Managing Bluefin Tuna in the Mediterranean Sea

Author

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  • Ussif Rashid Sumaila

    (University of British Columbia)

  • Ling Huang

Abstract

In order to provide information to improve the stock conservation and sustainability of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), this paper provides a background review to the bluefin tuna (BFT) fisheries and management regime in the Mediterranean Sea, and analyzes why it has failed. We find that: 1) the spawning stock biomass of BFT has decreased by 60% in quantity since 1974; 2) the total BFT catch per year in the Mediterranean Sea is about 24,000 t in recent years, however, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the same area could be as high as 47,800 t; and 3) the total landed value for Mediterranean BFT is estimated to be about 227 million USD a year, which results in 29 million USD of resource rent. It is also estimated that about 3,500 full-time fishing jobs are supported by BFT stock. Many factors prevent the successful management of BFT. Among them, the common-property and shared stock nature of the fishery, the existence of non-ICCAT (The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) members, and EU fishery subsidies. In order to address these issues, we suggest strengthening ICCAT institutions by developing effective cooperative mechanisms, introducing enforceable penalty regimes and establishing effective reporting and monitoring systems. In addition, ICCAT needs to seek ways to manage non-ICCAT members and convince the EU to reduce their fisheries subsidies for BFT fattening farms and vessel modernization. We also recommend the implementation of Marine Protected Areas to support regional management, and suggest that individual countries use individual transferable quotas or dedicated access privileges (where appropriate), and also resource optimization to improve their domestic management.

Suggested Citation

  • Ussif Rashid Sumaila & Ling Huang, 2010. "Managing Bluefin Tuna in the Mediterranean Sea," Working Papers 576, Economic Research Forum, revised 12 Jan 2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:erg:wpaper:576
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. R. Quentin Grafton & Rognvaldur Hannesson & Bruce Shallard & Daryl Sykes & Joe Terry, 2006. "The Economics of Allocation in Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOS)," Economics and Environment Network Working Papers 0612, Australian National University, Economics and Environment Network.
    2. U. Sumaila & Ahmed Khan & Andrew Dyck & Reg Watson & Gordon Munro & Peter Tydemers & Daniel Pauly, 2010. "A bottom-up re-estimation of global fisheries subsidies," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 201-225, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Antonius Gagern & Jeroen van den Bergh & Ussif Rashid Sumaila, 2013. "Trade-Based Estimation of Bluefin Tuna Catches in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, 2005–2011," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(7), pages 1-12, July.
    2. Gorana Jelić Mrčelić & Vedrana Nerlović & Merica Slišković & Ivana Zubak Čižmek, 2023. "An Overview of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Farming Sustainability in the Mediterranean with Special Regards to the Republic of Croatia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Stelios Rozakis & Athanasios Kampas, 2022. "An interactive multi-criteria approach to admit new members in international environmental agreements," Operational Research, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 3461-3487, September.
    4. Heffernan, Joseph Paul, 2014. "Dealing with Mediterranean bluefin tuna: A study in international environmental management," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(PA), pages 81-88.

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