WCPFC Narrows Options for Bigeye Tuna Management

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has narrowed options for managing bigeye tuna, setting the stage for further negotiations at its annual meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

The Second Bigeye Tuna Management Workshop (BMW02), held in Honolulu on 01–02 October, agreed to carry forward three options for the areas and fishing fleets covered by the proposed management procedure, alongside two target reference point options. Continue reading here (Source: Pacific News Service).

US Seafood Consumption Falls, But Canned Tuna Gains

New data shared by the National Seafood Association indicates seafood consumption in the U.S. fell in 2024. According to the association, U.S. residents consumed 18.4 pounds of seafood per capita in 2024, down from the 19.1 pounds of seafood per capita the country consumed in 2023. That total in 2023 was itself also down from the 20.8 pounds consumed per capita in 2022. Seafood consumption in the U.S. hit a new high in 2021, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading here (Source: SeafoodSource).

Dongwon Launches USD35M Purse Seiner, F/V Danuri, Equipped with State of the Art AI & Drone Technology

Dongwon Industries, Korea’s leading seafood conglomerate, has deployed a state-of-the-art 2,000-ton fishing vessel equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) and aerial drones to track tuna schools and enhance crew safety in the South Pacific.

The company held a launch ceremony for the Danuri at Dadae Port in Busan Thursday afternoon, with about 200 people attending, including Oceans and Fisheries Minister Hwang Jong-woo, Dongwon Group Chairman Kim Nam-jung and Dongwon Industries CEO Park Sang-jin. Continue reading here (Source: The Korea Times).

Current El Niño Event Likely to Intensify, Persist Through to March 2027

The current El Niño event is continuing to strengthen, with forecasts indicating it could surpass the intensity of all previous El Niño events recorded since 1950.

The latest regional outlook, presented in the statement from the 19th Pacific Islands Climate and Ocean Forum (PICOF-19), confirms that El Niño is firmly established in the region and continues to strengthen. The event is likely to persist through March 2027, with the peak period being November to January. Continue reading here (Source: Pacific News Agency).

Ecuadorian Police Seize Cocaine In Tuna Container Bound For France

Ecuadorian police seized more than half a ton of cocaine hidden among boxes of canned tuna in an export container bound for France at the Naportec port terminal in Guayaquil. Authorities discovered 784 blocks of cocaine during routine inspections of export cargo early Monday. Continue reading here (Source: ATUNA).

US Announces More Than USD44 Million For Pacific Policing Maritime Security

The United States announced more than $USD44 million in new security programming for the Pacific at a police ministers’ conference in Los Angeles, including a maritime law enforcement centre in Palau, expanded patrol cooperation and new border-screening equipment for Tonga.

The funding targets what the US State Department described as a connected criminal network moving narcotics across the Pacific and laundering proceeds.

Continue reading here (Source: Islands Business).

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