Longlines are often lost in the ocean and never retrieved, killing animals long after the boats have left. In 2022, it was estimated that 740,000 km of longline mainlines littered the ocean each year – roughly 18.5 times the circumference of the Earth.
Additionally, longlining can lead to overfishing, undermining the livelihoods of local communities whose income is derived from traditional, one-by-one fishing practices.
On Aug 29, 2024, the Maldives government reversed its decision to reopen longlining. The President Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives reaffirmed the country’s support for traditional one-by-one tuna fisheries by halting plans to issue new longline fishing licenses.
Blue Marine was catalytic in this successful campaign working together with international scientists, influencers and key local stakeholders such as fishers. The campaign demonstrated the power of a strong alliance of organisations, along with the right media pressure, in achieving quick and effective change.
