By Feleti Penitala Teo, Prime Minister of Tuvalu

Overfishing is no longer just a looming concern – it is a global crisis unfolding before our eyes, with catastrophic consequences for ecosystems and economies alike. Pacific countries are custodians of nearly 20% of the earth’s surface, almost all of it ocean. Sustainably managing these resources is our highest priority.

Pacific leaders recently reaffirmed our commitment to safeguarding the future of our shared ocean. However, we cannot do this alone. The world must recognize the urgency of the situation and join us in the fight to secure the future of our shared ocean, and this means tackling the issues of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Like many leaders in the Pacific, I have spent years working on these issues in regional organizations such as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Forum Fisheries Agency. I know firsthand that protecting our fisheries is a long-term commitment that requires innovation, collaboration, and unwavering resolve.

Tuna is one of the most consumed fish in the world, and the Pacific islands are the stewards of some of the world’s most vital tuna fisheries. In my home of Tuvalu, for instance, our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) spans over 750,000 square kilometers, teeming with tuna stocks that provide over half of our national income. This is not an isolated story – across the Pacific, the tuna fishery serves as a cornerstone of our economies, providing jobs, export revenue, and the means to deliver vital public services.

For years, we have been pioneering sustainable fishing practices to address the crisis of overfishing that threatens global food supplies.

For example. through the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), eight Pacific nations have pioneered the Vessel Day Scheme, a collaborative, science-based system that sets fishing limits for tuna stocks. This approach maximizes revenues for member States while ensuring the sustainability of fish stocks. Unlike competing for rights to exploit resources, this system reflects a shared commitment to long-term sustainability, using scientific guidance to regulate the number of fishing days.

What does this tell us? Sustainable fisheries work.

Our efforts have helped maintain the health of key tuna stocks in the Western and Central Pacific, which remain neither overfished nor subject to overfishing. This stands in stark contrast to other regions struggling to manage their fishery resources and highlights the power of regional cooperation.

At a recent Summit, Pacific leaders came together to reaffirm that sustainable fisheries are critical not only to the survival of our island nations but to the global community. We recognized the importance of science, collaboration, and partnerships in managing our shared resources. But we also recognized that there are deep challenges, that require global cooperation.

While the Pacific is proving that sustainable fisheries are possible, powerful fishing nations continue to bankroll subsidies that incentivisze illegal fishing and undermine our efforts.Every year, distant-water fleets exploit our oceans while global leaders stall on their promises.

It has now been almost three years since the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies that calls on powerful fishing nations, the main providers of harmful subsidies, to take responsibility for their actions. The world must do its part by ratifying the Agreement and eliminating harmful practices that threaten our shared future.

With decades of experience and achievements in managing sustainable fisheries, Pacific nations are ready to lead the charge for a new way of managing ocean that prioritizes sustainability, ocean health, and the wisdom of small island States such as mine.

For us, this isn’t an abstract issue – it’s our future at stake. Together, we must act decisively to protect our ocean, our fisheries, and our shared future.