A Hotspot of Biodiverity in the South Pacific

Tuvalu is a small archipelago of nine atolls located in the South Pacific, between Australia and Hawaii. Though its land area is tiny (26 km²), the waters it controls are vast, covering about 750,000 km²—around twice the size of Germany. The people of Tuvalu have a deep connection to the ocean, as emphasized by the Prime Minister: "The ocean is all we have. We have very little land, the rest is ocean. There is a strong bond between our people and the ocean." Indeed, over 95% of Tuvaluans engage in some form of subsistence fishing.

This territory is a biodiversity hotspot, with its warm waters home to coral reefs teeming with species like sharks and manta rays. It is also a crucial habitat for certain tuna species, such as yellowfin tuna, which use these waters as spawning grounds. The archipelago also lies on the migratory route of the economically highly valued bluefin tuna, which use Tuvalu as a route for the adults to come back to their spawning ground: the Sea of Japan.

Threats of Climate Change and Illegal Fishing

Although Tuvalu's carbon footprint is negligible due to the nearly fossil fuel-independent lifestyle of its 11,000 inhabitants, it is one of the countries most threatened by climate change and rising sea levels.During the campaign, our crew had the chance to dive beneath the waves in Tuvalu to explore the coral reefs of this atoll nation. We encountered stories of resilience from the wildlife that calls this ecosystem home, but also stories of fragility.

Coral reefs have just endured the fourth global bleaching event in the last 30 years, triggered by rising temperatures caused by climate change. However, this change is partly driven or exacerbated by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, especially trawling.

Due to the rich biodiversity of its waters, Tuvalu faces significant pressure from illegal fishing. Fishermen exploit the migratory route of bluefin tuna and the breeding grounds of yellowfin tuna, capturing those sensitive species to sell on the sushi market. In 2016, a bluefin tuna was sold for a record price of $1.8 million in the Tokyo market. This uncontrolled fishing leads to a decline in fish populations, and this is felt by the local fishermen. As one local explained, he now has to fish much further in his canoe now because of the lack of fish, increasing the risk of accidents.

Protecting Sharks: Risk of Bycatch and Finning

The problem of bycatch, the unintended catch of non-target species, is exacerbated by illegal fishing practices. Many marine wildlife species in Tuvalu’s waters can end up trapped or killed in fishing nets as bycatch, including large fish like blue marlins and wahoo, and vulnerable or critically endangered sea turtles.

Sharks, which feed on the tuna migrating through the South Pacific, are also routinely caught in fishing nets, either as bycatch or intentionally for their fins. These may be mako sharks, common thresher sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, or even silky sharks, which are the third most common species of shark in the fin markets of Hong Kong.

These apex predators are critical for regulating the health of marine ecosystems and yet tens of millions of sharks are killed every single year for their fins. This is a brutal practice, often time committed by vessels that are legally licensed, and yet authorities often times mistake them for only targeting tuna.

Sea Shepherd works with the Tuvaluan police service in this critical marine habitat, assisting the police to board fishing vessels so that they can inspect them, so that they can ensure they’re not killing sharks here in Tuvalu. 

A PArtnership to Combat IUU Fishing

Sea Shepherd’s Operation Tuvalu is a partnership with the Tuvaluan government to help stop illegal fishing that is destroying their marine biodiversity and threatening the livelihoods of the Tuvaluan people. Since April 2024, the Sea Shepherd vessel Allankay has been patrolling the waters of Tuvalu with five ship riders from the Tuvalu Police Service Maritime Wing stationed on board with the authority to board, inspect and arrest vessels operating in violation of the law. Two illegal longlines with a combined length of over 9.5 kilometers have been recovered, criminal evidence in a growing case against a longline fishing vessel that has been systematically fishing without a license over the past two months.$

Here's what you can do to help:

1️⃣ Eliminate fish and other animal products from your diet: Reducing demand helps decrease overfishing and bycatch.
2️⃣ Cut single-use plastic usage.
3️⃣ Avoid using sun screens with harmful chemicals that can damage marine ecosystems.
4️⃣ Support campaigns fighting against illegal fishing and protecting corals.
5️⃣ Spread the word.