Thursday May 2, 2024
WWF —
On World Tuna Day, fisheries scientists and policy-makers of Indonesia, the Philippines and Viet Nam urged for a stronger collective vision and regional strategy to secure yellowfin tuna fisheries in the Western Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO).
Gathering at a fourth dialogue since 2022, the delegates expressed a rising urgency for harmonising conservation measures for yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) in the WCPO – which harbours the largest tuna fisheries in the world – in order to avoid any future risk of collapse.
“We need to look no further than the Indian Ocean to understand the consequences of not taking action. Management failure has resulted in the continued overfished state of its yellowfin stock — a cautionary tale for what could easily happen in the Western and Central Pacific if we are not diligent in our management approach,” said Bubba Cook, WWF’s Western and Central Pacific Tuna Programme Manager.