RecaDt develop,ments ln respect of highly nigratory Bpecies 85. In the tndlan ocean there has been a rapi.d grorth in tuna fiaheries. Co-operat lon for tuna management anal conservatlon between all iarties concerned ls €asenttal in vie$ of the highly nigratory nature of these specles. Artlcle 64 of the conventlon on the Lair of lhe sea recognlzes the need for co-operat!.on n$lth a vley to ensuring conservatlon andl proftf,ting the objectlve of oPtlmun utillzation of such blghly nlgratory species throughout the region". 86. tbe Indlan Ocean trlshery Coorniss ion (IOFC! ts giviog Partlcular attention to co-oPer at ion on reaearch and statistics. fhe UNDP/FAO Indo-Paclfic luna Development anal l,lanagenent Prograane i8 being strengthened and nill centre itE actleitles in the Indian ocean and south-East Asia. This realignnent has beenjustified b!' the rapid growth of the purse seine flshery in the Indian ocean. Another lnportant project haE been the FAO/Japan project for Investigatton of Indlrn Ocean and western Pacific Srnall Tun6 ResourceB. In both projectat co-op€ratlon of both coaslal countrles and distant-water flsblng natione is consLderd essential for the collection and conpilation of the detailed data requlred for stock aasessment purpoaea. This requirement was ernphas i teal by IOFC at Its last sessLon (.tuly 1985). 87. The nenbers of IoFc have recognizeal that the Eituatlon ln the Inilian Ocean ie unique ln that the CoDnieslon includeB a large number of alevelopinq coastal countrleg, accountlng for about ,15 per cent of the total tuna catches. ThisA/40/923 Engllsh Page 24 special conbination of interests anal capabilities was recognized as reguiringinsLltutional arrangenents appropriate to the region 88' rn the Atlantic, the rnternational connission for the conservation of AtlanticTunas (ICCAT) has been reviewlng its tuna nanagement measures, particularly asregards the problem of effective irnplenentatlon in the eastern and central Atlantlc.
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the management and conservation of tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean, highlighting the importance of cooperation between countries and international organizations. It also touches on the need for research, statistics, and institutional arrangements to ensure the sustainability of tuna resources. These themes suggest that the text is related to the management of natural resources, particularly in the context of international cooperation and development.

**Category**
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Natural resources and environment