The group will partner with local state-owned companies to invest CNY1 billion (US$154 million) in the new Ningbo Airlines, which could take to the skies as early as in October 2016.

A recent independent audit determined that the Maldives pole and line skipjack tuna fishery meets the requirements to maintain its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certificate. But the yellowfin tuna fishery has been suspended the certification since April 15 this year.

These decisions were taken by the certifying entity DNV-GL, who consider all the new available information, including Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) stock assessments, the MSC’s interpretation of Harvest Control Rules (HCRs) and all recent Independent Adjudicator objection decisions.

DNV-GL found that populations of skipjack tuna in the Indian Ocean are currently healthy, which reflects the IOTC Scientific Committee’s latest assessment for skipjack tuna (PDF) that determined the stock to be neither overfished, nor subject to overfishing. 

In this regard, John Burton, Chairman of the International Pole & Line Foundation, pointed out: “We urge the IOTC to adopt a well-defined HCR for skipjack while stocks are healthy. The measure will enable managers to act swiftly to ensure the health of the resource and long-term profitability of the fishery. Compared to the other tuna species in the Indian Ocean, the work on a skipjack HCR is significantly advanced, so this is the logical species for the IOTC’s first HCR”.

On the other hand, the IOTC’s findings as to yellowfin tuna showed significant declines as a result of overfishing and relatively low reproduction levels.

The IOTC reported that the substantial increase in longline, gillnet, handline and purse seine fishing effort, and associated catches in recent years, has substantially increased the pressure on the Indian Ocean stock as a whole, with recent fishing exceeding the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) related levels.

Referring to the suspension on this tuna variety, Dr Adrian Gutteridge, Fisheries Assessment Manager at the MSC, stressed: “We consider this suspension to be appropriate action in order to safeguard yellowfin tuna populations within the Indian Ocean and to support positive change in the way our oceans are managed. We encourage the IOTC to adopt measures needed to ensure effective management of all fisheries under its responsibility.”

For his part, Jim Humphreys, MSC Global Fisheries Coordinator stressed the fact that the MSC commends the fishery’s continued improvements and management effectiveness, and acknowledges their wider efforts to support sustainability in the Indian Ocean.

“We encourage the IOTC to adopt the necessary measures needed to safeguard tuna stocks now and for the future,” he added.

The IOTC has requested through their Scientific Committee the development and evaluation of Harvest Control Rules for IOTC species and for a candidate HCR for skipjack to be presented at this year’s Commission meeting, to be held in La Reunion, France in May 2016.

The Maldives and other co-signatories will be presenting the skipjack HCR proposal at this upcoming meeting. FIS