Formerly, the Commission was primarily involved in managing yellowfin tuna fisheries, but the yellowfin tuna management system was discontinued in 1979. It has played an important role in the operation of the International Dolphin Conservation Programme and since 1998; quotas have been set for bigeye tuna. The Commission has also set up several working groups to deal with specific issues.

In 2003, a new Convention - the Convention for the Strengthening of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (commonly known as the "Antigua Convention") - was adopted by the current parties to IATTC. The Convention represents a substantial revision of the constitution of the Commission, and reflects modern developments in fisheries management including the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. The Convention is open to: (a) the Parties to the 1949 Convention; (b) States not Party to the 1949 Convention with a coastline bordering the Convention Area; and (c) other States and regional economic integration organizations whose vessels fish for fish stocks covered by this Convention or that are invited to accede. The Convention was open for signature until 31 December 2004 and shall enter into force 15 months after the deposit of the seventh instrument of ratification or accession of the Parties to the 1949 Convention.

United States Priorities
The Convention applies to waters of the Pacific Ocean including areas off the west coast states of California, Oregon and Washington and encompassing significant U.S. fisheries, such as the troll fishery targeting albacore and the Hawaii-based longline fishery which expends limited effort within the Convention area.

Through the Commission, the United States is directly engaged in the development of management arrangements for the fisheries for which the Commission is responsible including measures to manage and conserve bigeye and albacore tunas.

Members
Coast Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Republic of Korea, Spain, United States, Vanuatu, and Venezuela.
Belize, Canada, China, Cook Islands, the European Union, Honduras and Chinese Taipei are Cooperating Non-Parties or Cooperating Fishing Entities.

Convention Area and Map
The area of application of the Antigua Convention comprises the area of the Pacific Ocean bounded by the coastline of North, Central, and South America and by the following lines:
            i. the 50°N parallel from the coast of North America to its intersection with the 150°W meridian;
            ii. the 150°W meridian to its intersection with the 50°S parallel; and
            iii. the 50°S parallel to its intersection with the coast of South America.
Click here for a map of the IATTC - Antigua Convention Area.

Meetings
The annual meeting of the Commission is held in June each year.
The current IATTC meeting schedule is located on the Commission's website: http://www.iattc.org/MeetingsENG.htm

Location & Contact Information
The commission is located in San Diego, California, USA.

Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
8604 La Jolla Shores Drive
La Jolla CA 92037-1508 
USA

Tel:  +1 (858) 546 7100   
Fax: +1 (858) 546 7133

email: info@iattc.org
Website: http://www.iattc.org