The 2008 Recommendation by ICCAT Amending the Recommendation by ICCAT to Establish a Multi-Annual Recovery Plan for Bluefin Tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean [08-05] establishes a Regional Observer Programme (ROP-BFT) to ensure 100% coverage: (a) of purse seine vessels over 24 m during all the annual fishing season; (b) of all purse seiners involved in joint fishing operations, irrespective of the length of the vessels; (c) during all transfer of bluefin tuna to the cages and all harvest of fish from the cage.
From April 2010, the ROP-BFT has been being operated on behalf of ICCAT by the consortium MRAG Ltd. (MRAG) - leader - et COFREPECHE (COFREPECHE). The Consortium will carry out observer recruitment and training, equipment purchases and observer deployments under the supervision of the Secretariat. (modified from the ICCAT website, June 2010).
COFREPECHE has deployed around 60 observers on fishing vessels from France, Spain, Italy, Tunisia and Libya.