The Australian Tuna Association is extremely happy that next season's quota has been increased by ten percent.
It’s good news for the industry, coming off the back of a weakening Japanese yen, the currency that most of the industry trades in.
The Association met with the CSIRO, the Federal Fisheries Department and the Australian Fisheries Management Authority last week, where the new quota of 5,147 tons was confirmed.
Association spokesman Brian Jeffriess says scientific evidence shows the stock is recovering, and it's probably as strong as what it was 20 years ago. “It really puts to rest any idea that the stock is in trouble or whatever it may be,” he said.
“Fortunately the science has led the way and indicated the stock is strongly recovering and there's every reason to be positive about it for the long, long term, and by that I mean the next 20, 30 years.”