Closer Does Not Mean More Abundant: Tuna Shifts Its Map in the Pacific
WORLDWIDE Friday, July 17, 2026, 06:00 (GMT + 9)
The warming of the Pacific is modifying the distribution of several tuna species in the Eastern Pacific, temporarily bringing them closer to the California coast. For the industry, this signal does not yet point to an increase in biomass or global supply, but rather to a redistribution of the resource that could alter catching costs and competitiveness between fleets. The first effects of the current El Niño episode are beginning to be felt in one of the world's most valuable fisheries. Recent reports and observations from commercial and recreational fishers indicate an unusually nearshore presence of species such as yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) in southern California waters, favored by sea surface temperatures that are above average. Although the phenomenon has raised expectations of better catches, specialists i... FULL STORY
