Ecuador’s tuna industry, generating over $2.2 billion annually in exports, is taking a historic step toward sustainability thanks to Tunacons. In recent interviews with Radio Élite, Guillermo Morán, the foundation’s director, highlighted the success of ECOfads—eco-friendly Fish Aggregating Devices designed to attract tuna without polluting the ocean.
From Traditional FADs to ECOfads
Since the 1980s, fishermen discovered that tuna naturally gathers around floating objects like logs or even whales. This led to the development of FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices), which today account for 80% of tuna catches.
However, traditional FADs used non-degradable materials, sometimes trapping sharks and turtles and polluting the sea. To address this, Tunacons launched a pioneering project eight years ago:
✅ 100% biodegradable FADs
✅ No entanglement of non-target species
✅ Zero long-term marine pollution
“It was urgent to change the materials. Today, we work with abacá fiber, guadua bamboo, balsa wood, and organic rubber, all produced in Ecuador, to create fully biodegradable and non-entangling FADs,” Morán explained.
Ecuadorian Innovation with Global Impact
These ECOfads, developed with the expertise of Ecuadorian captains, last three to four months at sea, enough time to attract tuna schools before degrading naturally.
“By next year, we expect 100% of our fleet to use these devices,” said Morán.
With over 5,000 ECOfads already deployed across the Pacific, Ecuador positions itself as a regional leader in sustainable tuna fishing.
Beyond ECOfads: A Broader Ocean Commitment
Tunacons complements this innovation with:
- Releasing incidentally caught sharks, turtles, and manta rays back into the sea.
- Recycling tuna nets, sending over 600 tons annually to Chile for processing.
- Cleaning mangroves, removing tons of plastic in partnership with artisanal fishers.
“Fishing must be profitable, but above all, sustainable. We feed the world, but we also have a duty to protect the ocean,” Morán emphasized.