The Government of the Azores was pleased with the conclusions of the 21st Regular Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), held in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil.

This meeting was attended by the Under Secretary for Fisheries and a researcher of the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries University of the Azores, João Gil Pereira, representing the Azores. The fishing possibilities for the North Atlantic were established at the meeting regarding the species Bigeye tuna, with a 85,000-ton quota; Albacore, with a 28000-ton quota; Yellowfin tuna, with a 13,700-ton quota, and Northern Bluefin whose quota was significantly reduced to 13,500 tonnes.

These figures mean that the Region will maintain a market share is almost identical to the previous one.

Furthermore, it was decided at the meeting that the tuna species known as skipjack tuna will remain with quota for the year 2010, this means that our regional fishing flee may freely capture this specimens that belong to the aforementioned species.

Hence, the Regional Government believes that the goals to maintain the fishing possibilities for 2010 concerning the most caught species by the Azorean fishers have been accomplished, which will allow them to continue their activity in a profitable manner taking into account our past situation.