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Tuna feeds miIIions of peopIe, sustains economies,

and is an essentiaI ecoIogicaI Iink in the marine
food web. But in the CoraI TriangIe, these benets
are on the brink of being Iost. So what do we do?

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Tuna are being taken out of the sea faster than
stocks can support
The fshing industry is scrambling to supply growing international demand for tuna. This puts
more pressure on the otherwise heavily fshed stock of yellowfn tuna in the Western and Central
and ndian oceans as feets move in from depleted fshing areas.
f the current level of fshing continues or increases, these stocks will collapse. The result? Loss
of revenue and reduced food security in some parts of the world.
YeIIown tuna
Thunnus albacares
FULLY EXPLO TED
AIbacore tuna
Thunnus alalunga
MODERATELY EXPLO TED
(NORTHERN & SOUTHERN STOCKS)
Long-taiI tuna
Thunnus tonggol
STOCK STATUS UNKNOWN
Bigeye tuna
Thunnus obesus
OVER- EXPLO TED
Skipjack tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
MODERATELY EXPLO TED
Southern BIuen tuna
Thunnus maccoyii
DEPLETED
Current management of tuna sheries is not working
nternational laws and standards support sustainable fsheries management, and are applicable to
tuna regional fsheries management organizations (RFMOs) and their member states. But in reality,
tuna RFMOs have been unable to prevent overexploitation of tuna, rebuild depleted stocks, or
protect the wider ecosystem.
Tuna of the
CoraI TriangIe
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Catches (mt)
3,000,000
2,250,000
1,500,000
750,000
0 Year
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
TotaI tuna catch
The totaI quantity of tuna that is
caught is growing, as more and
more fishing boats intensify their
efforts to compensate for the
decIining amount of tuna they
catch per trip.
Pacific Ocean
Indian Ocean
AtIantic Ocean
CoraI TriangIe*
IncIudes Iarge and smaII tuna
* Catches from the CoraI TriangIe
have been subtracted from
Pacific Ocean catches
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As shing efforts intensify, the abundance of tuna may not
Iast in the CoraI TriangIe. Better management, improved
technoIogy and soIid incentives are urgentIy needed to turn
the situation around.
THE CORAL TRI ANGLE-
the nursery of the seas-is the most
diverse marine region on the planet,
covering 6 million km
2
of ocean
across six countries in the Indo-Pacifc
region. It is home to 3000 species of
reef fsh and commercially-valuable
species such as tuna, whales, dolphins,
rays, sharks, and six of the seven
known species of marine turtles.
What makes tuna
so speciaI?
Caught, traded, shipped and eaten
around the world, tuna is an irreplace-
able resource for developed and
developing countries globally. Between
1950 and 2006, about 27.5 million tons
of tuna were caught by fshing feets
operating in Coral Triangle countries.
n addition, an abundance of small tuna
species such as frigate, bullet and the
bonito provide vital sustenance to
millions of people in the Coral Triangle,
while they also serve as food for the
larger tuna.

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How can we save tuna stocks in the CoraI TriangIe?
Solutions exist to better manage the remaining tuna stocks across the Coral Triangle.
Effective tuna management at the national level through adoption of fair commercial
fshing agreements, better law enforcement, and promotion of better fshing practices
that are attuned to fsh ecology must become the building blocks of a regional strategy
to ensure tuna stocks do not collapse.
WWF's CoraI TriangIe
Programme
WWF's Coral Triangle Programme is
focused on securing the health of the
region's natural resources and the
millions of livelihoods that depend on it.
We are working to ensure that proper
environmental, political and socio-
economic management is put in place
towards:
Building a sustainable live reef food
fsh trade
Promoting sustainable tuna fsheries
Financing marine protected areas
Protecting marine turtles and
reducing their bycatch
Reducing the impacts of climate change
www.panda.org/coraItriangIe/tuna
Printed in August 2009 on 100% recycled paper
1986 Panda symbol WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) "WWF & "living planet are Registered Trademarks
For more information
Lida Pet-Soede
Leader
WWF Coral Triangle Programme
Tel/Fax +62 361 730185
Email lpet@wallacea.wwf.or.id
Jose ngles
Tuna Strategy Leader
WWF Coral Triangle Programme
Tel +63 2 920 7923
Fax +63 2 927 0247
Email jingles@wwf.org.ph
At WWF, we are collaborating with industry to transform tuna fshing and:
Develop a system that raises funds from global tuna trade and supports tuna
management in Coral Triangle countries
Establish ecosystem-based fsheries management that delivers equitable benefts
to island communities
Reduce illegal, unregulated and unreported (UU) fshing by excluding
UU fsh from the supply chain
mplement incentives for sustainable fshing practices
(e.g., MSC certifcation)
Engage consumers on the importance of tuna fsheries and enable
them to make sustainable seafood choices

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www.panda.org/coraItriangIe/tuna
1986 Panda symbol WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (Formerly World Wildlife Fund) "WWF & "living planet are Registered Trademarks
Tuna Strategy Leader
Coral Triangle Programme Coral Triangle Programme Coral Triangle Pr
Tel +63 2 920 7923
Fax +63 2 927 0247
jingles@wwf.org.ph
Reduce illegal, unregulated and unreported (UU) fshing by excluding
mplement incentives for sustainable fshing practices
Engage consumers on the importance of tuna fsheries and enable

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