The Bluefin tuna fishing season in the Western and Central Mediterranean Sea and in the Adriatic Sea came to a close on 21 June at 8 AM for purse seiners, 3 days before the official closure on 24 June (open since 26 May). Thanks to the implementation of an international recovery plan and to the efforts of fishermen, catch limits for Bluefin tuna were increased in 2017, as the stock showed continued signs of recovery.

The 34th annual meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) took place in Varberg, Sweden, from 6 to 9 June and discussed new initiatives to better understand the threats and conservation challenges facing the Atlantic salmon, while improving the implementation of already adopted conservation and management measures and guidelines.

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) held its 21st Annual Meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, from 22 to 26 May 2017. The meeting addressed important challenges facing the conservation and sustainable management of stocks covered by the organisation’s mandate.

On 16 and 31 May respectively the Ambassadors to the European Union of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria and the Principality of Monaco signed on behalf of their respective countries the MedFish4Ever Declaration.

The Commission welcomes the European Court of Auditors' Special Report on the effectiveness of the EU fisheries control system.

Over recent years, Bluefin tuna have gone from heavy over-exploitation to progressive recovery, thanks to a massive international effort led by the EU. To ensure continued sustainable management of the Bluefin tuna stock, the European Commission is committed to implement and even go beyond the international control measures for catches during the 2017 main fishing season.