Indian Ocean swordfish - longline

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Overview

The Malaysian Swordfish fishery is governed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), with actions implemented by the Government of Malaysia. The FIP for this fishery began in 2018 and has made significant governance improvements since. Efforts between 2018 and 2020 were focused on electronic reporting and monitoring for better control of the fishery’s catch; for example, FIP participants took part in the Regional Observer Program for carrier vessels and fishing vessels to monitor transshipment at sea, and the Department of Fisheries in Malaysia has installed CCTV on every vessel including IBU WIRA 1, IBU WIRA 2 & IBU WIRA 3. These are major achievements that increase oversight of the fishery tremendously and represent a considerable score increase on Principle 3 (Governance) of the Marine Stewardship Council standard, compliance and enforcement (3.2.3). 

In 2023 the major FIP action, in addition to regular catch reporting, will be to review vessel practices against the requirements in the applicable IOTC resolutions for mitigating risks to ETP species.  

FIP Description 

The Malaysian Swordfish fishery is governed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), with actions implemented by the Government of Malaysia. The FIP for this fishery began in 2018 and has made significant governance improvements since.

FIP Objective(s) 

By December 2026, the FIP aims to:

  1. Reduce the mortality of sea birds, sea turtles and sharks feeding on the baited hooks of longline gear through improved education for avoidance, safe handling and release.
  2. Reduce and eliminate the release of plastic to the sea by marking longlines and monitoring the fate of spent gear to prevent disposal at sea.
  3. Contribute to sustainable fishing on swordfish in the Pacific Ocean.
FIP Type 
Basic
FIP Stage 
Stage 4: Improvements in Fishing Practices or Fishery Management
Start and Projected End Dates
August 2018
December 2026
Update 
The FIP hosts are continuing to invest year-on-year in fishery improvements for Indian Ocean Swordfish.
Next Progress Report Due 
Saturday, November 30, 2024
Species 
Common Name 
Swordfish
Scientific Name
Xiphias gladius
Gear Type 
Longline
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 51 (Indian Ocean, Western)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country Flag of Vessel 
Malaysia
Country Flag of Vessel 
Taiwan
Regional Fisheries Management Organization
IOTC
High Seas Name 
Indian Ocean
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
3,000 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
85,000 metric tons
Landings Date 
December 2023
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
August 01, 2018
21% 32% 39% 7%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

C Some Recent Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Nov 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2026

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
SYM-PAC International
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Jason Yabiku
Organization Name 
The Sustainability Incubator
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Katrina Nakamura
Organization Name 
Fong Hsiang Ent Co Pt Ltd
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Jochanan Liew
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
9724