High Fuel Prices Squeeze U.S. Albacore Fleet

The 2026 commercial albacore tuna season is off to a limping start, beleaguered by high fuel prices, sporadic fishing and fewer fishermen.

“Our expenses have gone up over 30% overall,” said commercial fisherman Kris Griffith, 41. “It’s been a struggle to figure out how we’re going to do best." Continue reading here (Source: The Daily World).

Dongwon Industries Q2 Profit Rises 13% as Tuna Distribution Grows

Dongwon Industries (006040.KS), the operating holding company of Dongwon Group, posted double-digit operating profit growth in the second quarter, as expansion in its business-to-business (B2B) operations and stronger exports offset weakness in its food business caused by a high won-dollar exchange rate and rising costs. Continue reading here (Source: Seoul Economic Daily).

Japan Pushes for Expanded Pacific Bluefin Tuna Quotas

Japan's Fisheries Agency says an international conference on managing Pacific bluefin tuna stocks will be held next week. This comes after negotiators at the previous conference failed to reach an agreement on new fishing quotas.

Participants at the conference in July discussed catch quotas for the prized fish in part of the Pacific Ocean, including waters near Japan.

Continue reading here (Source: NHK World).

Ecuador's Fishermen Risk Cartels, Extortion, US Strikes at Sea

At first light along Ecuador’s Pacific coast, small fishing boats leave the villages of San Mateo and Jaramijo, heading toward deeper waters in search of the day’s catch. Others make their way back through the rolling surf to battered coves, where crews unload baskets of tuna and swordfish as traders rush to assess the haul.

But beneath the familiar rhythm of life at sea lies a growing threat. In Manabi province, drug cartels have turned small fishing ports into key links in cocaine trafficking networks, exploiting fishermen who know the coastline and waters intimately. The cartels lure them with the prospect of earning more from a single smuggling trip than they could make legally in a year, while those who refuse can face extortion, threats and violence. Continue reading here (Source: Daily Sabah).

Seafood Task Force Launches Five-Year Program to Improve Tuna Vessel Crew Welfare

Hundreds of tuna vessels will take part in a pioneering risk-based assurance and remediation programme designed to drive continuous improvement in the living and working conditions of fishing crews.

Participating STF Tuna members have committed USS1.2 million in 2026, the first tranche of payments to support this 5-year initiative, already underway covering 10 intenational ports spanning three oceans. It combines independent fishing vessel social compliance qualified assessments with practical remediation solutions that help vessel owners address identified risks and strengthen labour standards over time. Continue reading here (Source: The Fishing Daily).