Japan’s chub mackerel is managed as two separate stocks: the Pacific group and Tsushima Current. The status of the Tsushima Current stock is considered uncertain.
Purse seines have minor impact on endangered, threatened, protected (ETP) bycatch. Bycatch is assumed to be minor when targeting schools of small pelagic. Chub mackerel is an important food source for hammerhead sharks and as such plays an important role in the food chain. However, fishery pressures do not negatively impact the ecosystem. Purse seine is not causing destructive impacts to seabeds, reefs and benthic communities.
Japanese fisheries are managed under the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the Fisheries Agency. The overall management is partly effective. Vessels are required to use the Vessel Monitoring System to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishery.