Trade and tariff analytics
2026-04-26
10 minute read
14 sources
Pacific tuna 2026: the FFA price floor, the eastward drift, and the USD 2 billion access economy
The Western and Central Pacific delivers more than half of the world's tuna catch and a quarter of public revenue for several Pacific Island states. The Vessel Day Scheme floor, the Dec 2024 WCPFC tropical tuna measure, and a warming ocean that pushes skipjack toward the high seas will set the price of Pacific sovereignty over the rest of the decade.
The Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) produced 2.50 million tonnes of tuna in 2023, about 55 percent of global tuna landings, per the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and SPC OFP. Skipjack accounted for roughly 70 percent of the WCPO catch, yellowfin 18 percent, bigeye 8 percent, and South Pacific albacore 4 percent. The eight Parties ...