February 18, 2026
The US$3.3 million grant from the Walmart Foundation will support Conservation International’s ongoing efforts to ensure communities and economies benefit from healthy oceans and sustained livelihoods in South Pacific.
SUVA, Fiji (Feb. 17, 2026) – Conservation International is expanding its initiative to transform the management of South Pacific albacore tuna fisheries, advancing sustainability, equity, and long-term resilience across the region.
The initiative, ‘Transforming Ocean Governance and Pacific Tuna’ is now entering its third phase, expanding into Palau and Samoa, while scaling the successful work already underway in Fiji and in New Caledonia. In this phase, initiative will:
- Increase Pacific Island participation in higher-value tuna markets and strengthen in-region processing to ensure more value stays in region.
- Position the Pacific as a global leader in verified sourcing, climate-aligned fisheries, and long-term financial resilience.
- Work with domestic fishing industry partners to reduce bycatch, expand electronic monitoring, improve crew connectivity, and raise labour standards across tuna supply chains.
- Strengthen large offshore marine protected areas in New Caledonia, Samoa, and Fiji, linking high protection with higher-value tuna markets, particularly South Pacific albacore.
- Support community-led coastal fisheries management and coastal ecosystem restoration to boost food security, livelihoods, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
- Strengthen regional cooperation and governance to help Pacific nations protect and manage shared ocean spaces.
- Support sustainable management and protection across more than 2.6 million square kilometers of ocean, ensuring long-term ecological and economic benefits.
“The Pacific Ocean supplies more than half of the world’s tuna and is a cornerstone of Pacific Island economies and culture,” said Susana Waqainabete, Conservation International’s Vice President of the Pacific Islands Region. “Yet our region faces mounting pressures – from climate change and declining ecosystems to labour exploitation in fishing fleets and limited economic opportunities for local communities.”
“By building on earlier phases of our initiative, we will scale innovation in fisheries markets and supply chains, strengthen environmental stewardship, improve labour rights, and enhance economic sustainability in the Pacific Islands.’
Using a Jurisdictional Approach, the initiative integrates place-based solutions that bring governments, industry, communities, and markets together to improve environmental and social outcomes at scale for seafood sector.
Thomas Auger, Director, Sustainable Tuna Fisheries Program at Conservation International explained: “The jurisdictional approach works because it is built from the country level up – aligning government leadership, local industry, and community priorities to increase benefits for people while safeguarding tuna stocks and our ocean for the long term.”
Waqainabete summarised: “Our shared goal is to deliver greater benefits from the tuna fishery to the people of the Western and Central Pacific – while safeguarding the marine ecosystems on which their livelihoods and cultures depend.”
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org