At its eighteenth annual meeting, the CCSBT agreed that a Management Procedure (MP) would be used to guide the setting of the SBT global total allowable catch (TAC) to ensure that the SBT spawning stock biomass achieves the interim rebuilding target of 20% of the original spawning stock biomass. The CCSBT now sets the TAC based on the outcome of the MP, unless the CCSBT decides otherwise based on information that is not otherwise incorporated into the MP.

In adopting the MP, the CCSBT emphasised the need to take a precautionary approach to increase the likelihood of the spawning stock rebuilding in the short term and to provide industry with more stability in the TAC (i.e. to reduce the probability of future TAC decreases). Under the adopted MP, the TAC is set in three year periods. The TAC for 2014 was 12,449 tonnes and the TAC for 2015 to 2017 will be 14,647 tonnes;

The allocations of the TAC to Members and Cooperating Non-Members of the CCSBT for 2014 and 2015-2017 is summarised below. In addition, some flexibility is provided to Members for limited carry-forward of unfished allocations between quota years. This flexibility is described in the Resolution on Limited Carry-forward of Unfished Annual Total Allowable Catch of Southern Bluefin Tuna.

Current Allocations to Members

^*1 The allocations shown here assume that South Africa accedes to the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna in time for its allocation to be increased.

Current Allocations to Cooperating Non-Members

^*2 The allocation for South Africa will increase to 150 tonnes if it accedes to the Convention by 31 May of the respective year.

More complete information on the total catch and its allocation, including an agreed definition of the Attributable SBT Catch (SBT mortalities to be counted against a Member or Cooperating Non-Members’ allocation) and the timetable of action points for implementing this definition, is provided in paragraphs 50 to 66 of the CCSBT 21 Report.