World Tuna Day: We’re Not Catching the Opportunity by Brent Simon

We’re sleeping on one of the Caribbean’s biggest opportunities – tuna.

Today – May 2nd, World Tuna Day, while other regions scramble to save their overfished tuna stocks, here in the Eastern Caribbean, tuna remain severely under fished. That’s not just a fact – it’s a missed opportunity, and a potential game-changer for our underdeveloped fishing sector.

Yellowfin, skipjack, bigeye – these tuna species migrate through our open water year-round, largely untouched. With global tuna demand still soaring and consumers shifting toward high-protein, low-fat seafood, our fishers are practically sailing over money, but most remain focused on reef fish, lobster, or pot fish – because that’s what we’ve always done. It’s time to rethink the way we approach marine harvesting.

Why aren’t we catching more? – it’s about access, training, and market links. Tuna fishing requires different gear, different strategies, and a shift in mindset. Most of our small-scale fishers aren’t equipped for pelagic fishing, and there’s little incentive without proper buyers or cold storage.

But the blue print is right there:

  • Targeting migratory tuna stocks can reduce pressure on our reefs and give fishers access to higher-value catches.
  • Investment in ice plants, processing facilities, and export chains can open up premium markets – especially for sashimi-grade yellowfin.
  • Training and tech support can help fishers safely transition to long-lining and FAD-based (fish aggregating device) strategies.

If we play this right, we’re not just talking food security – -we’re talking industry transformation. More tuna fishing means more jobs, more exports, and more resilience against climate shocks and market dips. It means building a blue economy that’s smarter, not just bigger.

World Tuna Day shouldn’t be another lip-service date. It should be a rallying cry. The tuna is here. The demand is global, and the industry is open.

So, let’s stop watching others cash in and start fishing for a better future.