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Seafood is a major source of animal-protein for the people and communities in the Coral Triangle region. However, the gap between the fish required for food security and the sustainable harvests from coastal fisheries is growing.

WWF is working with different industry players to address this problem through sustainable tuna fisheries and aquaculture among others.

 A fisherman prepares his handline fishing gear.

© WWF Coral Triangle Programme / Alanah Torralba

Sustainable Tuna Fisheries

The Coral Triangle is a tuna spawning ground, providing nursery grounds and migratory routes for Pacific and Southern bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, skipjack and albacore tunas from the Indian, Southern and Pacific oceans.

But tuna is taken out of the sea faster than stocks can supply. If the current level of fishing continues or increases, these stocks will collapse resulting in loss of revenue and reduced food security in some parts of the world. WWF is working together with the industry to transform tuna fisheries and address this problem.

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Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)

© Brian J. Skerry / National Geographic Stock / WWF

Vietnam Yellowfin Tuna

With a total export value of nearly USD 370 million, Vietnam’s yellowfin tuna fisheries is an important player in the rising global demand for tuna. WWF and a number of partners have been working together to help build a steadily improving fishery so that it can ultimately achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.

The Vietnam yellowfin tuna Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) is prototyping various approaches for FIP best practices.

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Yellowfin Tuna, Vietnam

© WWF-Vietnam/Observer Program

PHILIPPINE YELLOWFIN TUNA

WWF launched the Public Private Partnership Program Towards Sustainable Tuna (PPTST) in 2011 to improve Yellowfin tuna management practices for 5,000 fishers in 112 tuna fishing villages around the Lagonoy Gulf in Bicol and 28 tuna fishing communities in Occidental Mindoro.

PPTST harnesses market power and consumer demand to support sustainable fishing gear and methods such as artisanal fishing, hand-line reels and circle hooks.

The deployment of revolutionary C-shaped circle hooks has reduced sea turtle deaths by as much as 90%.

PPTST also works to improve meat handling practices. Establishing long-term market access, promoting responsible fisheries management, providing selectively-caught tuna to market actors and environmentally-aware consumers and reaching Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification are among the project’s objectives. The project’s goal is to add more value to tuna, rather than encouraging people to fish more.

Learn more about our tuna work in Mindoro
Learn more about our tuna work in the Bicol Region
Fisherman brings in a yellowfin tuna

© WWF-Philippines / Gregg Yan