World Tuna Day: A Principle Industry

By: Garet Kim Kyung Jin

World Tuna Day. Behind its seemingly mundane title lies a day of significance and importance to humans that— hold that thought, does not involve sushi, as mouth watering as it may be. World Tuna Day takes place on the 2nd of May and aims to offer a glimmer of sunlight for these wonderful marine giants by raising awareness about Tuna conservation and sustainable fishing in an attempt to protect one of the world's most valuable ocean resources. Many initiatives have taken place because of World Tuna Day, aiming to make Tuna more sustainable and mitigate harms.

The tragedy of the fleeting life of Tuna. (Credit: Be The Story)

The Overfishing Problem.

Before we dive into sustainable Tuna, we must understand the overfishing and malpractice that takes place not just in Tuna, but in many fishing industries. According to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, 61% of tuna stocks are at a healthy level of abundance, but 13% are considered overfished. This number is projected to rise given increasing populations and love for Tuna.

Innovations in technology have been working against Tuna. Industrial fishing fleets, equipped with advanced technology, frequently exceed sustainable quotas, while Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing undermines international conservation efforts by bypassing regulatory oversight. Additionally, destructive fishing methods such as purse seining with Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) result in high rates of bycatch, unintentionally capturing marine life like sharks, turtles, and juvenile tuna.

As a consequence of this, Species such as Atlantic Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna are being caught faster than they can breed and considered overfished. Tuna in nature have very little predators or threats, living very long lives. However, in the past 80 years Tuna populations have declined up to 80% and show no signs of slowing down, with 5.8 million tons of Tuna being caught every year.  

A warning from the past that parallels the peril Tuna find themselves in can be found in the case study of Orange Roughys in the 1980s. These fish were once populous but found themselves severely overfished due to popular demand to the point where their population decreased to 10% of its original size and were then declared as conservation dependent. The long, slow life cycle of these fish makes them very vulnerable to overfishing; being caught and eaten before they can reproduce. Much like Tuna.

Tuna’s Fintastic Importance.

To understand the urgency of sustainable fishing for Tuna, let's expose ourselves to the many roles of Tuna and learn to see them as more than just condiments to be clobbered in seaweed and why overfishing them poses dire consequences.

Tuna plays a pivotal role in many marine ecosystems as apex predators: keeping overpopulation in check and balancing populations. Predators, often overlooked and even regarded as ‘evil’, are rarely ever thanked for the dirty work they do to keep things in order. In a majority of open ocean ecosystems Tuna are vital for keeping herbivorous/forager fish populations such as parrotfish in check, effectively keeping coastal plant and coral communities alive. This process is known as a trophic cascade. These corals and plants anchor sediment to the seafloor via complex root networks, alongside oxygenating and providing shelter for many small species.

Consequently, protecting Tuna means protecting the ocean ecosystems. Every fish plays a role, yet human overfishing threatens to turn these ecosystems into chaos and bring forth unwanted harm. This is not the only side effect of Tuna overfishing.

On the other fin, the scarcity of Tuna also has adverse effects on humans. 

In the economic sector, Tuna is one of the largest in the fishing industry, contributing more than $40 Billion in 2014, and this figure is continuing to grow; with the gross domestic product of the tuna industry being worth more than many countries. If Tuna continues to be overfished, the collapse and ban of a crucial market will be imminent. Many international fishing organisations will be bound to implement regulations and conservation measures for Tuna, much like in the case of orange roughies. Job loss, crippling damage to fishing industries and skyrocketing Tuna prices are all very real consequences if overfishing does not stop.

What the Fin Is Being Done?

Whether you’d rather not be unable to eat Tuna again or feel genuine heartbreak at the fate of these Tuna; thanks to World Tuna Day, much is being done for the better. 

World Tuna Day, created by the UN in 2016, raises awareness about overfishing and promotes sustainable fishing. It focuses on science-based management, enforcing anti-illegal fishing laws, and using responsible practices. 

World Tuna Day isn't just some holiday. It's a day about shining a spotlight on the urgent need for sustainable fishing to protect tuna populations, which have been impacted by overfishing, illegal practices, and destructive fishing methods. Through World Tuna Day, global efforts are being made to promote sustainable practices, enforce regulations, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting these marine giants.

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