Since 2011, WWF-Philippines has been working closely with Occidental Mindoro’s local government, tuna fishing communities, and tuna supply chain players to improve the fisheries management of yellowfin tuna stocks and to secure long-term economic benefits for tuna fishers. Through several projects, the organization promoted sustainable fishing practices, and organized tuna fishing associations in the six (6) coastal municipalities of Occidental Mindoro and helped tuna handline fishers form the establishment of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (FARMCs). This move gave tuna fishers much needed access to government support through fish landing centers and fishing boats, and gave them a voice to influence resource management and local tuna management plans.

WWF-Philippines expanded its work to include social enterprise development, improvement of  financial management and business skills, and awareness raising efforts on sustainable seafood consumption, especially in the European markets. Through this decade-long multi-sectoral collaboration, 5 municipalities of Occidental Mindoro were awarded the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification in 2021, the first in the country to achieve such distinction.

Building on these achievements, WWF-Philippines is further expanding efforts to help the tuna fishers of Occidental Mindoro through Project Buhay: Tuna Habambuhay, Dagdag Hanapbuhay, whose main goal is to make tuna fishing both sustainable and equitable. The project aims to:

Help tuna fishers earn more from their catch by improving product quality and post-processing to lessen wasted tuna;

Diversify tuna fishers’ income by introducing alternative livelihoods;

Empower the women to get involved in managing the new livelihoods;

Secure investments and capital funding for the identified livelihoods; and

Share community stories, best practices and lessons learned to inspire replication in other communities and organizations.

With Project Buhay, it is #TogetherPossible to #ChangeTheEnding for our tuna fishers in Occidental Mindoro! For more information, feel free to email the Project Manager, Ms. Melody Melo-Rijk, at mmelorijk@wwf.org.ph.