Is the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission meeting its conservation and management objectives?

The Convention of the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean is a remarkable achievement in international fisheries cooperative management and significant, albeit slow and uneven, progress has been made by its Commission in promoting the conservation of vulnerable tuna stocks and managing fishing capacity. This paper evaluates current progress and suggests that further progress will be difficult to achieve unless attention is given to addressing the inherent risks in fisheries management and in the underlying incentives facing WCPFC members. Both issues could be addressed over the longer term by drawing on the strengths of existing management strategies that are actively debated within the WCPFC.