A crucial meeting to discuss the future of southern bluefin tuna has concluded in Bali Indonesia with parties to the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) agreeing to adopt a management procedure to rebuild stocks. Southern bluefin tuna are at perilously low levels, at 5% of its pre-exploitation biomass. HSI attended the meeting which concluded late on Thursday.

"The agreement of a Management Procedure to start the rebuilding of critically endangered southern bluefin tuna stocks is a very welcome but long overdue step" said Alexia Wellbelove of Humane Society International. "We hope that parties will make every effort to ensure that stocks are rebuilt as fast as possible, and that CCSBT can start to turn around the decades of mismanagement of southern bluefin tuna."

Alongside agreements to adopt a management procedure, parties to the CCSBT also agreed to increases in quota. HSI maintains that a zero quota or TAC is the most appropriate option to ensure that the recovery of southern bluefin tuna can be assured, and expressed their disappointment that quotas continue to increase despite the perilous state of the stock.

Discussions were also held at the meeting regarding the impacts of southern bluefin tuna on albatross, sharks and sea turtles.

"With discussions on the Management Procedure now concluded, we urge the CCSBT to turn its attention to the thousands of endangered albatross killed in longline fisheries targeting southern bluefin tuna. HSI will continue to push the Commission to ensure that mandatory measures are adopted to prevent albatrosses, sharks and turtles from dying in these tuna fisheries," said Alexia Wellbelove.