Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) is an intergovernmental organisation mandated to manage tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean and adjacent seas. Its objective is to promote cooperation among its members with a view to ensuring, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilisation of stocks and encouraging sustainable development of fisheries based on such stocks. Follow the links for more information on IOTC meetings and IOTC reports.

Background and purpose

The Agreement for the Establishment of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission was adopted by the FAO Council at its 105^th Session in Rome on 25 November 1993. The agreement entered into force on 27 March 1996. Australia deposited its instrument of accession on 13 November 1996.

The objective of the Commission is to promote cooperation among its Members with a view to ensuring, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilisation of stocks covered by the Agreement and encouraging sustainable development of fisheries based on such stocks.

Australian priorities

Australia maintains an active involvement in the IOTC to ensure the sustainable management of the tuna resources of the Indian Ocean and continued access for our tuna industries. Australian fisheries targeting tuna and billfish in the IOTC Convention Area are primarily the pelagic longline fisheries – Western and Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fisheries; and the purse seine fisheries – Eastern and Western Skipjack Fisheries and the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery. For further information regarding these fisheries visit the AFMA website.

Australia is a major coastal state within the IOTC area of competence, and is demonstrating sound stewardship through having in place a stringent management regime that aims to ensure the sustainability of its industry’s operations.

Australia will continue to encourage the participation in the IOTC of all fishing states and entities that operate in the Indian Ocean, and to ensure appropriate cooperation is maintained between the IOTC and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) and other regional fisheries bodies.

Members

Membership of IOTC is open to Indian Ocean coastal countries and to countries or regional economic integration organisations which are members of the United Nations or one of its specialised agencies and are fishing for tuna in the Indian Ocean. Current members are Australia, Belize, China, Comoros, Eritrea, European Community, France, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

There are currently four Cooperating non-Contracting Parties to the IOTC - the Maldives, Senegal, South Africa and Uruguay who are not yet members of the IOTC - nor is Taiwan, a major distant water fishing entity.

Meetings

Annual Sessions of the Commission - are normally held annually in March. The IOTC Scientific Committee meets annually several months prior to the Commission meeting in order for Commission members to act on the most recent scientific advice. Several working party meetings are held throughout the year as required.

Contact

IOTC Secretariat
PO Box 1011
Victoria
SEYCHELLES
email: iotc.secretary@iotc.org
website: www.iotc.org