Looking beyond the can - the importance of tuna fisheries

Part 1: The Western and Central Pacific Ocean 

The management of the tuna species is important for the livelihoods and food security of millions of people.  

This is especially true for the tuna caught in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, which accounts for more than half of the global tuna catch. 

In this episode, we will hear from four experts who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that tuna fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific are managed sustainably.  

Guests:  

Professor Transform Aqorau – Vice Chancellor of the Solomon Islands National University 

Francisco Blaha – Fisheries Consultant 

Dr Josie Tamate – Chair of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission 

Rhea Moss-Christian – Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission 

Hosts: Bianca Haas & Jennifer Macey 

Sound design and editing: Emily Perkins  

Communication: Sunnefa Yeatman 

For comments & feedback please contact: ⁠inatvw@uow.edu.au⁠ 

Find out more: 

ANCORS Ocean Equity page ⁠https://oceanequityresearch.org/⁠ 

ANCORS at the University of Wollongong ⁠https://www.uow.edu.au/ancors/⁠ 

Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission Website ⁠https://www.wcpfc.int/⁠ 

Francisco Blaha’s Website ⁠https://www.franciscoblaha.info/⁠ 

Parties of the Nauru Agreement (PNA) Website: ⁠https://www.pnatuna.com/⁠  

Research on the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission by ANCORS researchers: 

Haas, B., Azmi, K., & Davis, R. (2024). Pacific tuna update: 20th Meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Marine Policy, 168, 106320. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106320⁠  

Goodman C., Davis, R., Azmi, K., Bell, J., Galland, G.R. Gilman, E., et al. (2022). Enhancing cooperative responses by regional fisheries management organisations to climate-driven redistribution of tropical Pacific tuna stocks. Frontiers in Marine Science, 9. ⁠https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.1046018⁠ 

Azmi, K., & Hanich, Q. (2021). Mapping interests in the tuna fisheries of the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. Ocean & Coastal Management. 212, 105779. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105779⁠ 

Hanich, Q., Jung, M., McDonald, A., Oh, S., Moon, S., An, J., & Yoon, M. (2021). Tuna Fisheries Conservation and Management in the Pacific Islands Region: Implications for Korean Distant Water Fisheries. Asia-Pacific Journal of Ocean Law and Policy. 6, 192-220. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1163/24519391-06020003⁠  

Haas, B. (2020). Tuna management in action: assessing the contribution of the WCPFC to the SDGs. Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs. 12, 42-47. ⁠https://doi.org/10.1080/18366503.2020.1726261⁠