Panama, September 2025 — The TUNACONS Foundation once again made an impactful appearance at the 103rd Meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), held from September 1 to 5 in Panama City. Drawing delegates from across the region, this year’s gathering focused on safeguarding ocean health and advancing sustainable fisheries in the Eastern Tropical Pacific—a mission central to TUNACONS’ vision.
Why the IATTC matters: The IATTC serves as the chief regional body for managing tuna and associated marine species from California to South America under the Antigua Convention. It is responsible for establishing science-based conservation measures, enforcing regulations, and promoting sustainable fisheries practices across member nations. At this 103rd meeting, key decisions on the agenda include:
- Adopting management procedures (harvest strategies) for skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna to ensure long-term stock resilience IATTC+3IATTC+3IATTC+3IATTC+13SeafoodSource+13IATTC+13.
- Reviewing staff proposals on stock status, management recommendations for 2024, and the IATTC Strategic Science Plan for 2026–2030 Newsroom Panama+15IATTC+15IATTC+15.
- Strengthening the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) framework, to ensure holistic, precautionary stewardship of marine ecosystems IATTC+1.
TUNACONS’ triumph: During this vital gathering, TUNACONS successfully hosted a parallel side event that generated enthusiasm and curiosity among delegates from member nations. It provided a platform to showcase sustainable fisheries innovations and promote collaborative dialogue.
A highlight of the event was the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between TUNACONS and the Panamanian Authority for Aquatic Resources (ARAP). The renewed agreement reinforces public-private cooperation across multiple critical areas:
- Science-based fisheries management
- Monitoring and traceability systems
- Technical training and capacity building
- Information exchange for audits and compliance with regional measures
This collaboration builds governance capacity, accelerates the implementation of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, boosts market access, and enhances the sustainability of Panama’s purse-seine tuna fleet.
The outcome: High participation and engagement at the side event reaffirmed TUNACONS’ emerging leadership in science-driven cooperatives and best practices in responsible fishing. This renewed agreement with ARAP underlines our shared mission—with governments, regional bodies, and communities—to ensure tuna fisheries remain a source of food, employment, and development without compromising ocean health.