Implications of climate change for blue food systems in the Pacific Islands region

Abstract

Blue foods are aquatic resources such as finfish, shellfish, seaweed and other aquatic plants that are captured or cultured in marine, estuarine, and freshwater ecosystems. Throughout the Pacific Islands region, blue foods are a critical part of coastal food system. They underpin local nutrition security and livelihoods, contribute substantially to the economies of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), and are integral to the cultural fabric and well-being of local communities. Wild-capture fisheries throughout the region mostly operate within oceanic and nearshore coastal ecosystems. Coastal fisheries, including subsistence and commercial fisheries, capture more than 1,000 fish and invertebrate species using a wide diversity of gear types, with most catches destined for home consumption or local trade (Welch et al. 2025, Chapter 3, this volume). Coastal fisheries are vital to the food and nutrition security of communities, and are an important employer across the region. Oceanic fisheries involve mostly industrial fleets that target four tuna species (skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and South Pacific albacore). They are critical to the global tuna supply chain, with the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) contributing ~60% of global tuna catches (Lehodey et al. 2025, Chapter 4, this volume). Most tuna catches are caught in the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the region’s 22 PICTs. Revenue from oceanic fisheries, including from direct sales and licensing agreements with foreign fleets, underpin government budgets and fund essential public services, contributing 0.6–10.0% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of PICTs and accounting for USD 820 million in exports across the region.