Resolution 19/05 On a Ban on Discards of Bigeye Tuna, Skipjack Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, and Non- Targeted Species Caught by Purse Seine Vessels in the IOTC Area of Competence

RETENTION OF TARGETED TUNA SPECIES

1. Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties shall require all purse seine vessels to retain on board and then land all bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna, and yellowfin tuna caught, except fish considered unfit for human consumption as defined in paragraph 4b (i).

RETENTION OF NON-TARGETED SPECIES

2. Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties shall require all purse seine vessels to retain on board and then land, to the extent practicable, the following non-targeted species or species group; other tunas, rainbow runner, dolphinfish, triggerfish, billfish, wahoo, and barracuda, except fish considered unfit for human consumption as defined in paragraph 4b (i), and/or species which are prohibited from retention, consumption, or trade through domestic legislations and international obligations.
3. Contracting Parties and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties using other gear types not provided for in paragraph 1 and 2 of this resolution, which are targeting tuna and tuna like species in the IOTC area of competence should encourage their vessel to:
   1. take all reasonable steps to ensure the safe release of non-targeted species taken alive, to the extent possible, while taking into consideration the safety of the crew;
   2. retain on board and then land all dead non-targeted species except those considered unfit for human consumption as defined in paragraph 4b(i) and/or are prohibited from retention through domestic legislations and international
4. Procedures for the implementation of full retention requirements include:
   1. No bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna and non-targeted species referred to in paragraph 2 caught by purse seine vessels may be discarded after the point in the set when the net is fully pursed and more than one half of the net has been retrieved. If equipment malfunctions affect the process of pursing and retrieving the net in such a way that this rule cannot be complied with, the crew must make efforts to release the tunas and the non-targeted species as soon as
   2. The following two exceptions to the above rule shall apply:

(i) Where it is determined by the captain of the vessel that tuna (bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna or yellowfin tuna) and the non-targeted species as listed in Para 2 caught are unfit for human consumption, the following definitions shall be applied:

• • • "unfit for human consumption" are fish that:
      • is meshed or crushed in the purse seine; or
      • is damaged due to depredation; or
      • has died and spoiled in the net where a gear failure has prevented both the normal retrieval of the net and catch, and efforts to release the fish alive;
    • "unfit for human consumption" does not include fish that:
      • is considered undesirable in terms of size, marketability, or species composition; or
      • is spoiled or contaminated as the result of an act or omission of the crew of the fishing vessel.

(ii) Where the captain of a vessel determines that tuna (bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna or yellowfin tuna) and the non-targeted species as listed in Para 2 were caught during the final set of a trip and there is insufficient storage capacity to accommodate all tuna (bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna or yellowfin tuna) and the non-targeted species caught in that set. This fish may only be discarded if:

• • • the captain and crew attempt to release the tuna (bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna or yellowfin tuna) and the non-targeted species alive as soon as possible; and
    • no further fishing is undertaken after the discard until the tuna (bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna, and/or yellowfin tuna) and the non-targeted species on board the vessel has been landed or

NON-RETENTION

5. Where the captain of the vessel determines that fish should not be retained on board in accordance with Clause 4.b (i) and (ii), the captain shall record the event in the relevant logbook including estimated tonnage and species composition of discarded fish; and estimated tonnage and species composition of retained fish from that set.

REVIEW

6. The IOTC Scientific Committee, the IOTC Working Party on Tropical Tunas, and the IOTC Working Party on Ecosystems and Bycatch shall as a matter of priority:
   1. act on its recommendation in the Report of the 18th Session of the IOTC Scientific Committee and undertake work to examine the benefits of retaining non-targeted species catches, other than those prohibited via IOTC Resolution, and present its recommendations to the 22nd Annual Session of the Commission. The work should take into account all species that are usually discarded on all major gears (i.e., purse-seines, longlines and gillnets), and should look at fisheries that take place both on the high seas and in coastal countries and the feasibility of both retraining on-board and processing of the associated landings.

IMPLEMENTATION

7. This Resolution will be revised, according to the advice of the IOTC Scientific Committee resulting from the reviewof the IOTC Working Party on Tropical Tunas (for bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna and yellowfin tuna) and of the IOTC Working Party on Ecosystems and Bycatch (for non-target species).
8. This Resolution supersedes Resolution 17/04 On a ban on discards of bigeye tuna, skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna and a recommendation for non-targeted species caught by purse seine vessels in the IOTC area of competence.