RFMO HS Management Measures

Multiple Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) have adopted harvest strategies for a variety of species. While each harvest strategy is based on the same fundamental elements and processes, the policy measures themselves can be organized in different ways. This page includes links to examples of international harvest strategy measures.

Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)

Reference Points
Resolution 15/10 On Target and Limit Reference Points and a Decision Framework, outlines reference points for albacore, swordfish, and tropical tunas, along with recommendations for evaluating such reference points.

Skipjack Tuna
Resolution 16/02 on Harvest Control Rules for Skipjack Tuna in the IOTC Area of Competence, outlines the specifications of the harvest strategy.
Announcement of the Recommended Skipjack Tuna Catch Limit for 2021-2023, calculates the current TAC, based on the harvest strategy, for the current management period.

Bigeye Tuna

Resolution 22/03 on a Management Procedure for Bigeye Tuna in the IOTC Area of Competence, outlines the specifications of the harvest strategy.

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)

General Guidelines
[15-07] Recommendation by ICCAT on the Development of Harvest Control Rules and of Management Strategy Evaluation, outlines the RFMO’s general guidelines on HCR and MSE development.

North Atlantic Albacore
[21-04] Recommendation by ICCAT on Conservation and Management Measures, Including a Management Procedure and Exceptional Circumstances Protocol, for North Atlantic Albacore, details the full harvest strategy including exceptional circumstance protocol.

Western Atlantic Skipjack Tuna
[22-02] Resolution by ICCAT on Development of Initial Conceptual Management Objectives for Western Atlantic Skipjack , outlines the management objectives for a potential harvest strategy to be adopted in .

Western and Eastern Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

[22-09] Recommendation by ICCAT Establishing a Management Procedure for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna to be Used for Both the Western Atlantic and Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Management Areas, details the full harvest strategy with exceptional circumstances to be finalized in 2023.

Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)

North Pacific Albacore
[Resolution C-22-04] Harvest Strategy for North Pacific Albacore in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, details management objectives and reference points and calls for full harvest strategy adoption in 2023.

Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)

Greenland Halibut
Greenland Halibut Management Procedure, page 106; details the full harvest strategy, including exceptional circumstances protocol, for the stock, that was developed in less than a year.

Atlantic Cod
Conservation and Enforcement Measures of 2019, page 10; details the full Interim 3NO Cod Conservation Plan and Rebuilding Strategy, otherwise known as the harvest strategy, for Cod.

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)

General Guidelines
[CMM 14-06] Conservation and Management Measures to develop and implement a harvest strategy approach for key fisheries and stocks in the WCPO, outlines general guidelines for harvest strategy development

Western and Central Pacific Ocean Skipjack Tuna
[CMM 2022-01] Conservation and Management Measure on a management procedure for WCPO skipjack tuna, details the (non-binding) trial harvest strategy.

North Pacific Albacore Tuna

[HS 2022-01] Harvest Strategy measure for North Pacific albacore tuna, details provisions for the harvest strategy adopted in 2022, with provisions to develop criteria for harvest control rules and exceptional circumstances in 2023.