Indonesia Secures 25% Boost to Southern Bluefin Tuna Catch Quota

During the 33rd annual session of the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna in Brussels, Indonesia's quota for the prized species was raised by 25%, with the chance to claim as many as 1,500 extra tons from other members' unused shares. Director General of Capture Fisheries Lotharia Latif attributed the outcome to sustained diplomatic efforts that started with a written proposal at the 30th CCSBT meeting in Busan in 2023 and were advanced by Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono at the 32nd session in Bali in 2025.

The ministry highlighted Indonesia's status as a developing coastal state and its role as the sole guardian of the tuna's spawning grounds. In the same meeting, the commission increased the global total allowable catch to 23,647 tons for the 2027-2029 period, a target Indonesia said it would support while strengthening monitoring and documentation measures. The country reaffirmed its intention to pursue even larger allocations in future rounds.