Net gains: how Pacific Island states are securing the future of tuna – and their own

Excerpt and Photo from euronews.com

The largest tuna fishery in the world is also the most sustainable. How do the small island states of the Pacific prevent overfishing, develop their economies, and prepare for the imminent effects of climate change? Our report from the Marshall Islands.

Crystal clear waters, white sands and kilometres of scattered islets, stretching as far as the eye can see; the Marshall Islands, a microstate in the Pacific Ocean, is a diver’s paradise, halfway between Australia and Hawaii.

The region’s tuna fishing industry, valued at €5.5 billion, is a vital economic resource for the countries and territories of Oceania.

However, climate change is a major threat to the Marshall Islands, shoals of tuna, particularly skipjack and yellowfin varieties, are projected to be migrating eastwards towards cooler open water due to rising sea temperatures.

According to a UN special report on the impact of climate change on the ocean, ten Pacific Island countries and territories could lose approximately €55.2 million a year in fishing fees and up to 15 per cent in revenue by 2050 due to these tuna migration patterns.