South Pacific Charts the Path Forward on MPs for Key Stocks

February 26, 2025

AuthorChloé Evans
Senior Program Associate, International Fisheries

The 2024 annual meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) in Santiago, Chile, concluded with a critical step toward strengthening the sustainable management of jack mackerel: members agreed to complete the Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE) process and adopt a management procedure (MP) for setting the total allowable catch (TAC) in 2026. This commitment builds on the ongoing work of the Jack Mackerel management strategy evaluation (MSE) working group, which has been meeting monthly to advance the process. Several key meetings and workshops are scheduled over the next year to ensure the MSE stays on track, culminating in discussions at the upcoming 2025 Scientific Committee meeting and the 2026 Annual Commission meeting.

To ensure success, it is critical to keep fishery managers and stakeholders engaged throughout the process. A key step in this effort will be the establishment of a science-manager dialogue group, which will bring together scientists, managers, and stakeholders in an online forum to present outcomes and receive feedback on future developments ahead of the Scientific Committee meeting. This dialogue meeting has been agreed upon and is included in the Scientific Committee’s work plan. Additionally, the chair of the Jack Mackerel MSE group will survey members to better understand their goals and objectives for the future of the fishery.

The need for a structured approach to management was particularly evident in this year’s total allowable catch (TAC) negotiations. The Chilean proposal called for a 44% increase in the TAC, but after extensive discussions, which took up a good portion of the 10-day meeting block, this was reduced to 25%. These contentious and time-consuming debates highlight the importance of adopting an MSE-tested MP, which would provide a science-based and pre-agreed framework for setting TACs—freeing up valuable time to address other pressing fisheries management challenges.

One such challenge is the management of jumbo flying squid, which was deemed “inadequate” by the second independent SPRFMO performance review panel. This species plays a vital role in the marine ecosystem as both predator and prey and supports one of the largest fisheries in the region, providing food security and economic benefits to coastal communities. Given its significance, its management deserves greater attention, particularly through an ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) approach that considers environmental and ecological factors alongside catch limits. More broadly, all performance review recommendations will be considered in the coming year, including a key recommendation calling for an MP framework across SPRFMO’s fisheries.

Strengthening management for small pelagic species like jack mackerel and key cephalopods like jumbo flying squid will help ensure the long-term sustainability of these important fisheries and promote a more resilient and science-driven approach to fisheries governance across the South Pacific.

Image Credit: By Aleph1 – Own work, CC BY 3.0