The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...
- WWF Global
- Adria
- Argentina
- Armenia
- AsiaPacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Borneo
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Caucasus
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- European Policy Office
- Finland
To halt and reverse declines in wild fish populations, WWF works with partners to secure science-based harvest strategies, supported by measures to curb bycatch, illegal fishing, overcapacity and destructive fishing methods.
Over the past century, a dramatic increase in fishing pressure has transformed the ocean, depleting wild fish populations, destroying fragile habitats and disrupting natural ecological processes.
The economic and social impacts of unsustainable fishing are profound, particularly for vulnerable coastal communities. Improvements in fisheries management and policy are urgently needed to halt and reverse the loss of nature in the ocean.
SMALL-SCALE FISHERIES
Community involvement in fisheries management increases local ownership and supports positive environmental, social and economic outcomes by drawing on local and traditional knowledge, improving decision-making and enhancing compliance with management decisions.
COASTAL COMMUNITIES INITIATIVE
Community-led approaches are particularly important in countries with limited government capacity for fisheries management and conservation, and for communities with a
high degree of dependence on coastal marine resources. By supporting community-led management of coastal fisheries, marine protected areas and locally managed marine areas, WWF is helping to deliver positive outcomes for people and nature. Our Coastal Communities Initiative demonstrates effective fisheries management and promotes an enabling policy environment for community management of small-scale fisheries.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND POLICY
WWF engages at the national, regional and international level to improve fisheries management, reform harmful fisheries subsidies and improve traceability and import controls. In particular, WWF focuses on the following three fisheries management priorities:
1. securing science-based harvest strategies and rebuilding plans to reverse declines in target fish populations;
2. curbing bycatch and destructive fishing methods to reverse declines in impacted species and habitats; and
3. enhancing the effectiveness of management measures by improving monitoring, compliance and enforcement.
REDUCING BYCATCH AND HABITAT IMPACTS
WWF supports adoption of tools and gear that reduce the unintentional catch of the the wrong species, wrong sex, or undersized or juveniles of the target species - known as bycatch - as well as tackling illegal fishing and destructive fishing methods.
INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPLY CHAINS
For years, WWF has led innovative approaches to engagement with the fishing industry and seafood markets, including fisheries improvement partnerships, certification, business coalitions and widely utilized tools such as seafood guides.
Fishing is one of the fundamental ways in which people are connected to the ocean.
Harvesting and marketing food from the ocean was one of humanity’s early trades. Today, fishing is both an essential subsistence activity for millions of coastal residents and a multibillion-dollar global industry. But with nearly two-fifths of the world's fisheries now exploited beyond their biological limits, we must redouble efforts to halt and reverse depletion of wild fish populations.
Did you know tuna help maintain the health of our ocean – and even our climate – all while feeding millions of people? We need to allow fish populations to recover from overfishing. Fish will continue to be a part of our diets, but how we catch them and how much we consume matters. Watch the video to learn more.