The WWF Coral Triangle Global Initiative has set out to tag adult yellowfin tunas in the waters of Mindoro Occidental, in the Philippines. The site is some 100 km off the western seaboard of Mindoro and is a known area with juvenile tunas but has not been previously studied.
View Tuna tagging area in a larger map
Sixteen pop up satellite tags will be anchored on large adult yellowfin tunas (between 40-70 kg) over the duration of the project.
Tagging activities are undertaken to better understand the behavior of tunas: where and how long they stay in a particular water column any time of the day; how fast they swim; where they feed; and where they stay during their reproductive phase, among others.
The results of the tagging will provide inputs into policies relating to the protection of these valuable species, such as the establishment of protected tuna spawning areas.
