Tuna
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Tuna are remarkable and impressive wild animals. The Atlantic bluefin can reach ten feet in length and weigh as much as 2000 pounds (more than a horse). Their specialized body shape, fins and scales enable some species of tuna to swim as fast as 43 miles per hour.
Tuna swim incredible distances as they migrate. Some tuna are born in the Gulf of Mexico, and travel across the entire Atlantic Ocean to feed off coast of Europe, and then swim all the way back to the Gulf to breed.
These extraordinary marine animals are also integral to the diet of millions of people and are one of the most commercially valuable fish. The majority of the market is made up of four species: skipjack alone account for more than half of the global catch of tuna, followed by yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore. The critically endangered bluefin tuna only makes up 1% of the global catch. As the methods of catching tuna have advanced over the years, the conservation and management of tuna has not evolved as quickly. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, most tuna stocks are fully exploited (meaning there is no room for fishery expansion) and some are already overexploited (there is a risk of stock collapse). According to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, 65% of tuna stocks are at a healthy level of abundance, but 13% are considered overfished.
Tuna underpin the ecosystems and economies where they live. They are an apex predator and consume a wide variety of other fish, from squid to herring to sardines. This keeps the populations of other species healthy and balanced. Tuna are also among the most commercially valuable fish on the planet and support artisanal and industrial fishing alike. They are a plentiful and affordable source of protein for people around the world. Driven by this demand and high prices in sushi markets, fishers use even more refined techniques to catch tuna. And some species are disappearing as a result.
Since juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tuna school with adult skipjack, they are increasingly caught as bycatch, or unintended capture, by vessels that target skipjack. The removal of these juvenile yellowfin tuna before they have a chance to spawn could lead to fewer yellowfin in the long term. Although most yellowfin and bigeye tuna stocks are abundant throughout their range, they can be in danger of overfishing if management does not adequately take this bycatch into account.
According to information collected by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), several tuna stocks are currently overfished, meaning that adult fish are being caught faster than they can breed and replenish the population. Pacific bluefin tuna are heavily overfished, and the Atlantic bigeye and the Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna are experiencing overfishing with increased catch levels in recent years. The skipjack tuna, while quite resilient, could easily slip into a vulnerable state due to overfishing if improperly managed.
Working with the biggest buyers, traders, and sellers of tuna leverages the purchasing power of the private sector to catalyze improvements in fishing practices, management, and conservation. It also provides financial support and incentive for fishers looking to commit to long-term sustainability. WWF works with tuna processors, traders and scientists through the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a partnership that WWF helped to launch in 2009. ISSF advances the use of science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stock, reduction of bycatch and promotion of biodiversity and ecosystem health. ISSF provides a broad platform for industry leaders, scientists, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGO) to work together. This work is further coordinated through the NGO Tuna Forum in which WWF actively participates.
The retail sector also provides important market leverage and WWF works with dozens of companies th