2026 Tuna RFMO Priorities: A Policy Snapshot of What to Watch
From science on paper to limits on the water, across the major tuna RFMOs (WCPFC, IOTC, IATTC and ICCAT), four common themes are likely to shape delegates’ discussions this year:
Harvest Strategies in Action
With management procedures now agreed for several key tuna stocks, including South Pacific albacore, the focus is on turning science-based strategies into real limits on the water and ensuring long-term sustainability. Key discussions on effective allocation mechanisms will play out across Pacific, Indian Ocean and Atlantic tuna fisheries.
Transparency and monitoring
Decisions on electronic monitoring, observer coverage, and transshipment and compliance systems will determine how quickly monitoring moves from pilot projects into operational practice, strengthening the credibility and traceability of data and directly affecting audits and due-diligence requirements.
Responsible fishing practices
Advancing progress on gear impacts, including the transition toward lower-impact and biodegradable FADs, 2026 will force decisions on timelines, deployment limits, and the use of transparency tools such as FAD registers that will shape ecosystem commitments.
Social responsibility
Labour standards in tuna fisheries remain a rising priority. While most RFMOs are not yet ready to adopt binding rules, labour risk has been identified by many of our Partners as critical for retailers and suppliers, making it essential to keep crew welfare and labour standards aligned with commitments such as ILO 188 and evolving regulatory expectations. We are developing our approach rapidly.