The Tuna Management Association of New Zealand (TMA) is a non-profit association, which provides administrative and management support to the albacore troll fishery that operates off the western coasts of the North and South Islands of New Zealand, in the South Pacific Ocean. Founded in 2001, TMA supports a fleet of owner-operated domestic vessels by providing up-to-date information on fishery management issues and by ensuring that the fleet remains aware of and compliant with Maritime New Zealand’s seafarer certification and safety management system requirements. TMA has also been the driving force behind the continued Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of the albacore troll fishery, which was first MSC certified in 2011 and was recertified in 2017.
This certificate covers the 175 vessels represented by the TMA, which principally operate off the western coasts of the North and South Islands. These usually smaller vessels utilise trolling methods to catch on average 3,000mt of albacore each year.