EU: Europêche applauds ICCAT move to slash moratorium on fish aggregating devices in Atlantic

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) has announced plans to lift restrictions on fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Atlantic Ocean, a move welcomed by Europêche, a European fisheries trade body. The decision follows a moratorium imposed in 2019 aimed at reducing fishing pressure on the overfished Atlantic bigeye tuna stock. The 2019 measures introduced closure periods for FAD use and limited the number of allowable devices. This decision is amid ongoing discussions regarding the need for stricter regulations on FADs, including marking, ownership, and the use of eco-friendly materials.

Fisheries trade body Europêche has welcomed the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas’ (ICCAT) recent decision to reduce a moratorium on fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Atlantic Ocean.ICCAT implemented a moratorium on FADs in 2019 that introduced closure periods for the use of the devices. FADs are frequently used in the Atlantic's bigeye tuna fishery and consist of floating objects that fishing vessels place in areas to attract fish. The moratorium was in part in response to a report that the regional fishery management organization (RFMO) issued in 2018 that declared Atlantic bigeye tuna as overfished. The FAD requirements were part of its push to reduce fishing effort on the species and to start rebuilding its stock. The devices have ...