Tuna fisheries are often seen as one of the biggest challenges in ocean conservation. But that story is starting to change, and most people have not caught up to it yet.

In this episode, you’ll hear how tuna fisheries in many parts of the world are actually improving. Better science, stronger monitoring, and more coordinated international management are helping rebuild stocks and reduce pressure on key species.

To understand what’s really happening, I spoke with Susan Jackson, President of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. She shares how data-driven decisions, harvest rules, and industry collaboration are changing the way tuna is managed globally.

But progress does not mean the job is finished. Some stocks are still under pressure, and continued effort is critical to keep things moving in the right direction.

This episode breaks down what’s working, where challenges remain, and why tuna fisheries may be one of the most important examples of how ocean conservation can succeed when science and policy align.

Most people assume fisheries are either working or failing, but very few people know how the system actually works. In this episode, I break down the hidden process behind fishing limits, stock assessments, political negotiations, and the science that shapes what ends up on your plate.

You will learn why fisheries management can go wrong, what happens when countries ignore the science, and how better systems like harvest rules and stronger accountability can help fisheries recover. This episode also sets up tomorrow’s interview with Susan Jackson from ISSF, where we will reveal just how far tuna fisheries have come. 

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Tuna sustainability might be the biggest ocean success story you’ve never heard about. Nearly 100 percent of global tuna catch is no longer experiencing overfishing, but that didn’t happen by accident. There is a hidden system behind the scenes that most people never see, and it is quietly changing how fisheries work around the world.

Harvest rules for fisheries are replacing political negotiations with science-based decisions. Instead of arguing every year about how much fish to catch, managers now use pre-agreed rules that respond automatically to changes in fish populations. This shift has helped tuna stocks recover and stay stable, even as global demand continues to grow.

Ocean conservation solutions are often criticized for failing, but tuna shows what happens when science, industry, and policy align. In this episode, you will learn how this system works, why it matters for the seafood you eat, and what it tells us about the future of ocean protection.

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Tuna fishing is a global industry, but how do we actually know if we’re catching too much?

Every time you eat tuna, you’re relying on a system most people have never heard of: stock assessments. These scientific models estimate how many fish are in the ocean, how fast they reproduce, and how much can be caught without causing long-term damage.

Stock assessments are not about counting every fish, they’re about making the best possible decisions with imperfect data. Scientists use catch records, fishing effort, and biological information to understand whether tuna populations are healthy or at risk. But the science is only part of the story.

In this episode, we break down how tuna stock assessments work, why they are critical for sustainable seafood, and how organizations like ISSF help ensure that decisions are based on science, not just politics. You’ll also learn how past failures shaped today’s system, and why the future of tuna depends on getting these calculations right.

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What if one of the most popular seafoods in the world isn’t the disaster story you’ve been told?

Tuna has been at the center of overfishing conversations for decades. But something changed, and most people have no idea. In this episode, we unpack the hidden system behind tuna fishing, how it nearly failed, and what turned it around.

This isn’t about saying everything is fine. It’s about understanding what actually worked, why it worked, and what it means for the future of ocean conservation. Because if tuna can improve, it raises a bigger question:

Why isn’t every fishery doing the same?

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