European fishing fleets accused of illegally netting tuna in Indian Ocean

One of the reports found evidence EU vessels fished without authorisation in the Indian Ocean, where the main catches include skipjack, bigeye and yellowfin (pictured) tuna. Photograph: Giordano Cipriani/Getty Images

European fishing fleets have been illegally netting tuna from dwindling stocks in the Indian Ocean, according to data presented to EU authorities and analysed by expert groups.

EU purse seine (a type of large net) fishing vessels were present in the waters of Indian Ocean coastal states, where they were likely to have carried out unauthorised catches, and have reported catches in the Chagos archipelago marine protected area and in Mozambique’s exclusive economic zone.