Philippines tuna handline fishers now have a better chance at competing in European markets through a partnership between WWF, Blueyou Consultancy, European seafood companies and the Government of Germany.
Strict European Union policies on sourcing tuna plus increasing consumer demand for responsibly-caught seafood have made it difficult for small-scale fishers in impoverished tuna producing countries to stay on par with global standards, often losing out on profitable market opportunities.
“Through this partnership, we aim to create enabling conditions for small-scale fisheries to move towards a more sustainable management regime and generate more equitable market benefits in the long term,” says Dr Jose Ingles, WWF Coral Triangle Programme Tuna Strategy Leader.
The project, which focuses on handline-caught Yellowfin tuna, will be implemented in identified pilot sites in the Philippines for four years.
It will guide fishers to move towards meeting the sustainability criteria of the Marine Stewardship Council.
Tuna handline fishing, done on small traditional boats, involves the use of single hooks that catch tuna individually. Because of its highly selective method, handline fishing is seen to have less impact on the marine environment, usually targeting large and mature tuna that have already reproduced.
The fishery, however, stands to gain much more by meeting global standards. The management plan will protect tuna stocks and the socio-economic requirements of its stakeholders through infrastructure improvements, including a traceability system, scientific monitoring methods, safety standard procedures and product quality measures both at local and national levels.
Around 2,200 wooden boats and 8,000 fishermen will initially be involved in the project.
The Coral Triangle contains spawning and nursery grounds and migratory routes for commercially-valuable tuna species such as Bigeye, Yellowfin and Skipjack, producing more than 40% of the total catch for the Western Central Pacific region, and representing more than 20% of the total global catch.
Tuna is a highly valuable marine resource that fuels the economies of this region’s developing nations and supports the livelihoods of millions of people.
However, the rising demand for tuna products and the lack of effective policies to regulate the fishing industry is causing the overexploitation of certain tuna species in the Coral Triangle.
