[Photo: FILE]

The Pacific’s tuna industry could face annual losses of almost $210 million as rising ocean temperatures threaten the movement of tuna stocks across the region.

Opposition Leader and Pacific COP31 Ocean Envoy Inia Seruiratu warns that continued global warming could force tuna to migrate further east, affecting fishing operations and economies that depend heavily on the industry.

Seruiratu says current temperature overshoot estimates suggest the region could lose about US$93 million in a year from tuna alone.

“The overshoot is very dangerous for us when it comes to economic, because for tuna alone, the estimation is, with the current overshoot, we will lose about US $93 million per year. And if it gets worse, then it’s going to be bad. We’re dealing with a migratory species, and it’s going to go eastwards.”

He says the potential economic impact must be considered in Fiji’s long-term planning, particularly for the fisheries sector and the future of PAFCO.

“This is probably something that we will have to consider in the long term as we plan about PAFCO and all the fisheries sector for that matter, Honorable Speaker. 1.5 is important. Financing, again, is so important.”

Meanwhile, Minister for Climate Change Lynda Tabuya says limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius is also critical to protecting the Pacific’s marine ecosystems.

She warns that coral reefs face significant losses if global temperatures continue to rise.

“The science, of course, tells us that 1.5 degrees of warming, coral reefs are projected to decline by a further 70 to 90 percent, and at 2 degrees, more than 99 percent would be lost.”

Tabuya says Fiji will continue advocating for stronger global commitments to keep the 1.5-degree warming target within reach as countries prepare for COP31 in Türkiye next week.