The Philippines will host the 22nd regular session of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) from Dec. 1 to 5, 2025, underscoring its strategic role in global tuna fisheries and its gains from the sustainable management of highly migratory fish stocks.
The country’s total catch of WCPFC-managed tuna species exceeded 201,000 metric tons (MT) in 2024. Skipjack tuna led the haul at 115,355 MT, followed by Yellowfin at 79,865 MT, Bigeye at 4,981 MT and Albacore at 833 MT.
The Philippines contributes roughly 7 percent of the total Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) tuna catch, ranking sixth globally over the past decade.
A notable achievement is the country’s unique access to High Seas Pocket 1 (HSP1), designated as a Special Management Area by the WCPFC. Under Philippine government rules, 23 traditional fresh-ice fishing boats caught about 34,791 MT of tuna in the HSP1 area in 2024, confirming it as a productive fishing ground.
Tuna remains the Philippines’ leading fisheries export. In 2024, exports reached 130,708 MT, valued at $479 million, with canned tuna representing the largest share.
These exports helped sustain the country’s net trade surplus of $1.19 billion and supported millions of Filipino workers across fishing, processing and export sectors.
Imports, valued at $286 million and representing 34 percent of total fishery imports, reflect the Philippines’ integration into complex global trade networks that supply domestic processing and meet consumer demand.
The WCPO recorded a tuna catch of 3.02 million MT in 2024, the highest since records began in 1970. The region supplied 54 percent of the world’s total tuna catch.
Established in 2004 under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the WCPFC ensures the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna and other highly migratory fish stocks.
By adopting binding Conservation and Management Measures (CMMs), the Commission regulates fishing, combats illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and protects non-target species such as sea turtles, seabirds and sharks.
