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A paradigm shift: using catch and abundance indices to assess the impact of tuna purse seiner FAD and FSC fishing on the stock status of little tunny in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean

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Abstract

The Atlantic Ocean’s little tunny is a priority for research by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Limited studies exist on Northeast Atlantic Ocean stock dynamics, and conventional catch and abundance assessments are lacking. This study assesses the impacts of tuna purse seiner fish aggregating device (FAD) and free-swimming school (FSC) fishing and proposes models for assessment using ICCAT data aggregated into different time blocks. Applying JABBA (Just Another Bayesian Biomass Assessment) and CMSY++, model diagnostics indicate that the 2011–2021 time series arrangement offers more reliable stock status estimates. Both models show overfished status (biomass/biomass max sustainable yield [B/BMSY] < 0.5) from overfishing (fishing mortality/fishing mortality max sustainable yield [F/FMSY] > 1.5) by the FAD and FSC techniques. FAD catches have leveled with the stock's average surplus production (ASP), while FSC catches are closer to ASP. JABBA projections suggest BMSY for the stock in 2023–2024, with FSC and FAD catch limits of 3000–4000 tonnes. By implication, the stock may collapse from tuna purse seiner's FAD and FSC fishing unless catch limits are implemented. JABBA is most effective for little tunny with shorter catch and catch per unit effort (CPUE) data, while CMSY++ indicates overfished stock status with and without abundance indices. Both applied models are suitable for little tunny stock status prediction, but considering the abundance indices used in this study, management advice should be applied cautiously.

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Data availability

We utilized information made openly accessible in the ICCAT Database (available at http://iccat.es/en/accesingdb.html). The corresponding authors can be contacted for more information.

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) for making the information used in this study available to the general public. We also acknowledge the college staff at Shanghai Ocean University for fostering a supportive atmosphere for data analysis and reporting.

Funding

The current work received no external funding; internal contingency funds from the College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, covered the study's expenses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Marine Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Komba Jossie Konoyima, Richard Kindong & Jiangfeng Zhu

  2. Key Laboratory of Sustainable Exploitation of Oceanic Fisheries Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Richard Kindong & Jiangfeng Zhu

  3. Key Laboratory of Oceanic Fisheries Exploration, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai, 201306, China

    Richard Kindong & Jiangfeng Zhu

  4. National Engineering Research Centre for Oceanic Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China

    Richard Kindong & Jiangfeng Zhu

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  1. Komba Jossie Konoyima
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Contributions

The work was substantially, directly, and intellectually contributed to by each listed author, who also consented to publication. With guidance from JZ and RK, who helped with data collection and discussions, KJK processed the data, carried out most of the analyses, and wrote the manuscript. JZ is also the project's idea developer and motivator.

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Correspondence to Jiangfeng Zhu.

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Konoyima, K.J., Kindong, R. & Zhu, J. A paradigm shift: using catch and abundance indices to assess the impact of tuna purse seiner FAD and FSC fishing on the stock status of little tunny in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. Fish Sci 90, 139–160 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12562-023-01745-y

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