Fishing

WWF works in more than 40 countries to end destructive fishing practices. Our comprehensive approach transforms global seafood markets and policy, preserves habitats, protects species and strengthens the livelihoods of coastal and indigenous communities for whom fishing is a way of life. Notable accomplishments include:

Fishermen pulling up nets, Mafia Island, part of the Mafia Marine Park, Tanzania.
© WWF-Canon / Roger HOOPER

1990s

• Helped establish Tanzania’s Mafia Island Marine Park which prevented destructive fishing practices and preserved livelihoods for 18,000 residents
• Cofounded the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to promote responsible fishing practices worldwide
• Helped enact the Galapagos Special Law that created a 40-mile marine sanctuary where commercial fishing is prohibited

2000s

• Created the International Smart Gear Competition to foster innovative technology solutions that reduce bycatch
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  Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) swimming in the ocean, Indonesia.
  © WWF / Brandon D. Cole

  Brokered an agreement among Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia to share management of their marine resources
• Secured continued commitment from Walmart to sell only MSC-certified seafood products in the United States
• Cocreated with the African Union, the World Bank, the United Nations and the Global Environment Facility, the $250 million Sustainable Fisheries Investment Fund for sub-Saharan Africa, a regionwide partnership to restore depleted fisheries and reduce poverty
• Achieved 40 percent reduction in shrimp trawling activities in the northern part of the Gulf of California – previous levels of trawling were unsustainable, threatening marine species and destroying critical habitats.