The Pelagic Fisheries Research activities currently focus on generating biological information as well as fishery related data on pelagic fishery resources, currently exploited in the pole-and-line tuna fishery, the hand-line yellowfin tuna fishery, live-bait fishery, and billfish fishery. In addition, this program will overlook emerging fisheries targeting pelagic species as well as the resources they will exploit.

Tuna and tuna-like species are highly migratory and thus form part of the shared stocks in the Indian Ocean. Hence, the management of these resources fall primarily on the regional fisheries management organization, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). IOTC promotes cooperation among member countries to ensure appropriate management of species harvested and impacted by fisheries existing in the IOTC area of competence. 

Under this research program MMRI works inter alia, to deliver to the requirements of IOTC which form part of the national requirements, which includes include timely delivery of biological and scientific data and other activities that contribute to the science of the resources that fall under the mandate of the IOTC.