Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Fishery Plan (2013).

The Cook Islands Skipjack Tuna Purse Seine Fishery Plan (2013) was developed to create a carefully managed and sustainable purse seine fishery targeting skipjack tuna within the Cook Islands’ Exclusive Economic Zone. The plan seeks to generate economic benefits for the country while ensuring the long-term health of tuna stocks and the wider marine ecosystem. It establishes a controlled licensing system for purse seine vessels, limits fishing effort through a maximum allocation of fishing days, and requires compliance with national regulations and regional conservation measures adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). The plan also emphasizes monitoring, reporting, protection of non-target species such as sharks and other marine wildlife, and the collection of scientific data to support adaptive management, thereby balancing commercial fishing opportunities with responsible stewardship of ocean resources.