Algeria: Bluefin tuna, fishing quota reduced The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decided, on December 9th in Paris, to reduce the fishing quota allowed to Algeria to 680 instead of 138 tons. Considered as a diplomatic defeat, this decision is explained by the Algerian Minister of Fisheries, Abdullah Khenafou, by the refusal of France to issue visas to Algerian delegates. The Minister assured that Algeria is "trying to catch its quota of tuna by Algerians ship owners themselves, after banning joint ventures from exploiting fish in Algerian waters. However, he acknowledged, "we are experiencing difficulties. We do not have a significant fleet to fish for bluefin tuna".