Momentum on Tuna Management but EM and FAD Reforms Must Accelerate

Science-based management is gaining traction for tuna, but the game isn't won yet: inconsistent adoption of electronic monitoring (EM) and fish aggregating device (FAD) reforms could limit real benefits for fishers, processors and coastal communities. An ISSF analysis published Jan. 21 laid out progress, persistent gaps and clear priorities for 2026.

The analysis shows a real shift away from year-by-year political quota bargaining toward harvest strategies and management procedures that rely on science. RFMOs are adopting or advancing MSE-derived harvest strategies for key stocks including skipjack, albacore, yellowfin and bigeye. That change promises more predictable harvest control rules and long-term stability for fisheries and markets if managers turn strategy into action.

But progress is uneven. Several harvest strategies remain incomplete or not yet operational, and EM rollouts are patchy across oceans. FAD reforms - the move toward non-entangling and biodegradable designs - are inconsistent from region to region. Longline fleets face a particular shortfall: observer coverage is inadequate, leaving gaps in bycatch data and compliance checks where EM could play a critical role.

For tuna anglers and industry operators, the practical implications are immediate. Operationalized harvest strategies will change how catch limits and effort controls are applied, altering fishing opportunity and season planning. Broader EM adoption will affect onboard workflows, data reporting and potential compliance costs. Wider uptake of non-entangling, biodegradable FADs will mean gear changes for purse seine operators and FAD managers, with downstream effects on market traceability that buyers increasingly demand.

Community-level stakes are high. When harvest strategies are implemented and EM and FAD reforms scale up, coastal processors and market chains gain predictability and stronger traceability credentials that can lift prices and access to markets. If reforms stall, supply-chain uncertainty and spotty compliance will keep volatility in catch limits and buyer confidence.

The road ahead is tactical. The analysis identifies 2026 as pivotal: implement and operationalize MSE-derived harvest strategies, accelerate EM rollouts, expand non-entangling/biodegradable FAD adoption, and improve RFMO compliance and transparency. Fit vessels for EM where rules require it, plan for changing harvest control rules, and transition FAD inventories to non-entangling designs to stay ahead of enforcement and market demand.

Momentum exists, but implementation will determine whether the catch becomes a stable source of income and supply or remains a policy tug-of-war. Tight lines depend on turning plans into pavement: faster EM rollouts, consistent FAD standards and operational harvest strategies.