The Pacific tuna story is, at its heart, a story about stewardship: of people, of resources, and of an ocean whose productivity sustains communities far beyond the Blue Pacific Continent. That ethos was unmistakable at the 9th Pacific Tuna Forum (PTF 2025)

The 18th INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference and Exhibition (TUNA 2024) opened today at the Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Over the next three days, more than 300 delegates from 40 countries across the globe will have the rare opportunity to listen to world-class speakers and resource person on issues in line with the theme “Advancing Blue Transformation, Sustainable Development and Innovation through the Global Tuna Industry”.

The Chairperson of the Conference is Ms. Rhea Moss-Christian, Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), with Dr. Chanintr Chalisarapong, President of the Thai Tuna Industry Association (TTIA), as the co-Chair.

The co-organizers of the event are the Department of Fisheries, Thailand and Thai Tuna Industry Association (TTIA); the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; three RFMOs (WCPFC, IATTC, IOTC); ANFACO; Atuna.com; and the TUNA 2024 media partner, Undercurrent News. TUNA 2024 is also supported by platinum sponsors Marine Instruments and Maldives Industrial Fisheries Companies (MIFCO); Gold sponsor BIOLAN; and the silver Sponsor Arcadia Chemical and Organic Ingredients.

The event began with a Welcome Address by Gemma Meermans Matainaho, Acting Director of INFOFISH, followed by the Keynote Address by Ms. Rhea Moss-Christian, and Special Addresses by the Hon. Ministers from several countries: HE Kalaveti Ravu from Fiji, represented by Rovereto Nayacalevu; HE Ribanataake Tiwau (Kiribati); HE Ahmed Shiyam (Maldives) and HE Jelta Wong (Papua New Guinea).

Ms Matainaho said that we are at a critical juncture, as the industry reflects on its endeavours in ensuring sustainability, its importance as an industry on many levels and how it continues to be a significant player also in responding to the global challenges of our time. These global challenges include addressing food security, poverty alleviation, employment opportunities, marine conservation, climate change mitigation, disruptive markets and supply chains, and challenges to sustainable development overall amongst others. How the industry contributes to ‘Advancing Blue Transformation, Sustainability and Innovation’ in line with the theme, may well be important to the industry’s vitality and footprint in this regard going forward.

Ms. Rhea Moss-Christian said that the theme of Blue Transformation are buzzwords, implying that the industry has a role to play – and it does. “In these next three days, we will hear how the industry is contributing to real sustainability initiatives. It is our collective responsibility to contribute to food security in a challenging world, and this Conference is an opportunity for us all to discuss these issues, and more.  

A common theme in the addresses of the Honourable Ministers from Fiji, Kiribati, Maldives, and Papua New Guinea is just how important the tuna industry is for the food security and livelihoods of these nations, and how activities like IUU fishing are so detrimental to the fulfilment of national objectives (“the ocean is our life”).  Sustainable development, innovation, and collaboration with all stakeholders are therefore crucial for all people and the planet. There is a need to ensure that the tuna marketed from the Pacific Islands region has a premium label attached to it and that the tuna, certified as sustainable through methods such as pole-and-line fishing, is able to access international markets. Good governance and policy reforms are necessary for the industry to respond to international requirements such as the Port State Measures Agreement. A connected and cooperative Pacific can ensure benefits throughout the region, and therefore programmes such as the East New Britain Initiative in Papua New Guinea are of great importance.

The Guest of Honour was Mr Buncha Sukkeow, Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, Thailand, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand.

TUNA 2024 was officially declared open by Mr Buncha Sukkaew, Director-General, Department of Fisheries, Thailand following his Welcome Address.

Five founding members of TUNACONS have achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for yellowfin tuna products caught in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The Ecuadorian companies involved in the initiative are Negocios Industriales Real NIRSA S.A., Servigrup, and Eurofish, along with Panamanian firm Pesquera Jadran and U.S.-based Tri Marine. The certification covers 47 vessels between the companies and is the first certification for yellowfin tunas school fish sets and fish-aggregating devices (FADs) in the Eastern Pacific.

“This milestone as achieved by the purse-seine tuna fleet is very important news for Ecuador and for the world because Ecuador is the second-largest producer in the world of tuna,” National Chamber of Fisheries (CNP) President Bruno Leone said. “If Ecuador has a large part of its fleet certified, other fleets can follow these good practices and regulations existing from the requirements of the MSC certification. Let’s hope all of Ecuador can come together so all can eventually be MSC-certified.”

Ecuadorian vessels catch approximately 300,000 metric tons of tuna annually in the Eastern Pacific, and 80 percent of its processed tuna products are exported to international markets, with its top market being the European Union.

The companies worked together for three years in a fishery improvement project (FIP) in order to meet these certification needs and standards. In order to achieve MSC certification, TUNACONS had to prove it was maintaining healthy tuna populations, minimizing impacts on the ecosystem, and promoting organized and responsible management of the fishery.

To do this, the participating companies committed to a series of activities including the research and testing of degradable materials for FADs; monitoring and collection of information on catches and bycatch through onboard observers; Implementation of a code of good practices to reduce bycatch, especially of vulnerable species such as sharks, manta rays, and sea turtles; and supporting scientific assessments of tropical tuna populations and promote adoption of conservation measures with the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and governmental institutions. These measures were implemented with technical support from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Ecuadorian government, TUNACONS said.

Photo courtesy of TUNACONS