The Southern Bluefin tuna is heavily overfished. There are some positive trends showing that interim rebuilding targets may be reached before 2035.
The longline fishery for tuna in the Indian Ocean generates large numbers of bycatch of vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species, most notably seabirds, especially albatrosses and petrels, as well as sharks and sea turtles. As the Southern Bluefin tuna's habitat is in a high trophic level, large-scale removal of tuna may result in cascading effects on food webs and the ecosystem.
The fishery is managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). Management measures include theprotection of endangered, threatened, and protected (ETP) species and ecosystem, data monitoring, etc. Overall management is marginally effective.
