Yellowfin tuna industry, America’s biggest marine exporter, is on the brink of extinction as overfihsing is increasing day by day. According to the WWF overfishing of yellowfin tuna, which mainly breeds in the Western and Central Pacific region particularly the Sulu Sea region, could cause the collapse of the industry, in the same way it did the Mediterranean bluefin tuna.
WWF has urged the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to take prompt action that would mean “dramatic changes in the way tuna is harvested, without which fisheries could collapse. It is told that in 2005, scientific advice indicated that overfishing of yellowfin tuna was occurring in the region and urgent action needed to be taken.
Peter Trott, fisheries program manager for WWF-Australia, explained that this is high time to preserve a magnificent open ocean species, it is about preserving the world’s most valuable tuna fisheries with a landed value of close to $4 billion in 2007 and a market value of $6-8 billion every year. WWF said that the yellowfin tuna is the most economically valuable tuna species found and caught in the Philippines.
The WCFPC will convene on Dec 8-12 to discuss, among other things, management measures that would reduce the harvest of yellowfin tuna by 30 percent. The group also called for improved catch documentation can also identify the size of the illegal tuna catch in the region.
