Targeting and reforming these four fisheries types directly contributes to WWF's twin goals of saving biodiversity and reducing humanity's impact, by supporting marine conservation in many of WWF's priority places (e.g., the Coral Triangle, Arctic, Coastal East Africa, and Mediterranean) and reducing fisheries threats to several priority species (e.g., marine turtles, marine cetaceans, pelagic sharks, and tunas).
Why tuna, whitefish, shrimp and forage fish?
Of the millions of eggs each female Atlantic cod can spawn in her lifetime, only two need to survive to adulthood for the population to remain stable.
For the past 30 years, humans have not even allowed this.
Whitefish, tuna, shrimp and forage (also known as reduction fisheries; used to make fish oil and fish meal) fisheries represent the largest categories of wild-caught seafood by value and volume.
The different species targetted in these fisheries – including cod, bluefin tuna, and anchoveta – play different and critical ecological roles in their respective marine ecosystems. Restoring these fish populations and preventing further collapse will strengthen these ecosystems, and help them become more resilient to other man-made threats such as pollution and climate change.
Focusing on these major fishery types will also generate the greatest global catalytic effect on both policy reform and industry best practices that will spread to other fisheries.
Ultimately we seek to use these fisheries to restore the balance of all marine ecosystems.
The different species targetted in these fisheries – including cod, bluefin tuna, and anchoveta – play different and critical ecological roles in their respective marine ecosystems. Restoring these fish populations and preventing further collapse will strengthen these ecosystems, and help them become more resilient to other man-made threats such as pollution and climate change.
Focusing on these major fishery types will also generate the greatest global catalytic effect on both policy reform and industry best practices that will spread to other fisheries.
Ultimately we seek to use these fisheries to restore the balance of all marine ecosystems.