The Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) held Operation Rai Balang 2025 from March 3 to 21 to identify IUU fishing in the tuna-rich grounds of the WCPO. During the Operation FFA members conducted 96 boardings, tracked 189 vessel contacts, and identified 7,629 satellite detections. Officials found seven “high-risk vessels of interest.” An FFA statement read that the boats were found to be non-compliant with conservation management measures in several members’ EEZs and high seas. “This will be pursued through national and regional enforcement action processes.”

FFA Director-General Noan Pakop highlighted the role of intelligence analysis in the effective guiding and planning of the Operation. He said: “Our daily intelligence work at the Regional Fisheries Surveillance Center has been crucial to identifying and stopping illegal fishing activities.”

The ongoing Spanish fisheries inspectors strike is gradually taking a toll on the bluefin industry, according to experts. A Balfegó executive said that the protest is generating economic losses of tens of thousands of euros for the company. The inspectors are in charge of monitoring the fishing regulations in the industry, including validating catch documents, issuing certifications for the slaughtered fish, and registering them on platforms for export. The Balfegó executive warned that if the indefinite protest continues for longer, it could be “extremely dangerous”, especially with the upcoming bluefin catching season in May. It could eventually lead to a loss of millions of euros for the company, reported Spanish news sites.

The inspectors’ strike began on March 3 with the workers demanding better salaries and more security in accordance with their functions and risks. A statement from the Workers’ Commission CCOO read that bluefin operators have already complained about their work going at a snail’s pace (due to the strike) and if this continues, the upcoming bluefin campaign (Almadrabas) would be affected.

Tuna brand Gomes da Costa, popular in Argentina, has started working with advertising agency Hoopla to boost the sales of its products with a new promotional campaign. Earlier this week, the agency released a 52-second witty animated video with the spotlight on Portuguese immigrant Rubem Gomes da Costa who founded the brand in 1954. Hoopla stated that Gomes da Costa is not new to Argentinians and has been a ‘silent friend’ to tuna lovers. However, the agency wanted to “raise curiosity about who the founder was, and, instead of offering a definitive answer, they opted to tell a myth about his origins, inviting the audience to discover him,” reported Spanish news sites. The video is fast-garnering attention on social media.

Popular Argentinian historian and writer Felipe Pigna is the narrator for the video to make the campaign credible and to “bring this mythical story to life.” Gomes da Costa, originally a Brazilian canned fish company, offers a diverse range of tuna products in the Argentine market including flaked tuna and tuna chunks. Nauterra (formerly Grupo Calvo) acquired Gomes da Costa in 2004