The Fisheries Agency announced the suspension of bluefin tuna fishing starting at midnight on June 12. This is due to the rapid approach of this year’s catch towards the national quota, a measure put in place to prevent overfishing.
As bluefin tuna resources have been recovering, Taiwan’s annual catch has also increased in recent years. In 2023, the catch reached 2,122 tons, exceeding the national quota of 1,965 tons. Fortunately, the unused portion of the 2022 quota was carried over, avoiding overfishing last year.
However, since last year’s quota has been exhausted, any catch exceeding 1,965 tons will be deducted from next year’s quota. According to regulations, fishermen who inadvertently catch additional bluefin tuna must report and discard the catch.
To ensure fishermen are aware of the quota usage, the Fisheries Agency provided a briefing on the planning and management measures for the current year. Updates were also provided to district fisheries associations when quotas reached 63%, 75%, and 80%, which happened on June 3, 6, and 7, respectively.
Due to rapidly changing fishing conditions, daily catch volumes surged from June 7 and the quota usage hit 90% by June 9. This prompted the agency to announce the said suspension for bluefin tuna; however, other tuna species, like yellowfin tuna, can still be fished.