Biology, fishery, conservation and management of Indian Ocean tuna fisheries

• Published in: Ocean science journal Vol. 47; no. 4; pp. 411 - 433
• Main Authors: Gopalakrishna Pillai, N., Satheeshkumar, Palanisamy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute and The Korean society of Oceanography 01.12.2012; 한국해양과학기술원
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Marine & Freshwater Sciences; Oceanography; Review; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; 해양학; conservation; tuna; fisheries; management; recruitment; ocean ecosystem
• ISSN: 1738-5261; 2005-7172
• DOI: 10.1007/s12601-012-0038-y

The focus of the study is to explore the recent trend of the world tuna fishery with special reference to the Indian Ocean tuna fisheries and its conservation and sustainable management. In the Indian Ocean, tuna catches have increased rapidly from about 179959 t in 1980 to about 832246 t in 1995. They have continued to increase up to 2005; the catch that year was 1201465 t, forming about 26% of the world catch. Since 2006 onwards there has been a decline in the volume of catches and in 2008 the catch was only 913625 t. The Principal species caught in the Indian Ocean are skipjack and yellowfin. Western Indian Ocean contributed 78.2% and eastern Indian Ocean 21.8% of the total tuna production from the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean stock is currently overfished and IOTC has made some recommendations for management regulations aimed at sustaining the tuna stock. Fishing operations can cause ecological impacts of different types: by catches, damage of the habitat, mortalities caused by lost or discarded gear, pollution, generation of marine debris, etc. Periodic reassessment of the tuna potential is also required with adequate inputs from exploratory surveys as well as commercial landings and this may prevent any unsustainable trends in the development of the tuna fishing industry in the Indian Ocean.