Pelagic Predators
The ocean’s top predators, the billfish, swordfish, tunas, and sharks that are the lions, tigers and wolves of the sea.
By removing too many of the sea’s keystone predators, we weaken an entire tier at the top of the food chain. This may have dire biological consequences throughout the ecosystem, far beyond the social, economic, and moral costs of depleted ocean fisheries.
Although these big fish have few natural predators, they are among the most threatened fish in the sea, for three reasons: exploitation at rates faster than the fish can reproduce; indiscriminate and wasteful fishing practices; and ineffective management, at the national and international levels.
What we do
Wild Oceans has a long record of accomplishments working to protect and restore marlin and sailfish, swordfish, bluefin and other tunas, and sharks. Our work covers a broad range of issues critical to the future of large ocean fish, among them:
- Implementing recovery plans for all overfished species, with rebuilding targets and timetables
- Reducing commercial bycatch of non-target fish and other wildlife by promoting more selective, sustainable fishing gears (best fishing practices)
- Promoting habitat protections for sensitive life history stages including spawning