Science

Bluefin Tuna Resurgence Off Britain Highlights Conservation Wins, WWF Report Says

By Justin Rowlatt

Bluefin tuna have returned in large numbers off the British coast after nearly disappearing from UK waters. The comeback is one of several wildlife recoveries highlighted in WWF’s Living Planet Report 2026, which the charity says demonstrates that conservation can work. The report also found that monitored wildlife populations worldwide have fallen by an average of 73% since 1970, indicating that nature remains in “freefall.”

Mike Barrett, chief scientific adviser at WWF‑UK, told the BBC that it is not too late to act. He said the bluefin tuna recovery is a “golden case study” showing that fisheries management works, citing international efforts that reduced catch quotas, set size limits and protected spawning grounds, supported by campaigns from consumers, chefs and retailers.

The report notes other global recoveries, including a more than 70% increase in wild tiger numbers—from about 3,200 in 2010 to roughly 5,700 in 2025—and the green sea turtle’s downgrade from “endangered” to “least concern” after 50 years of conservation work in around 80 countries. Elephant populations are stable or growing in parts of southern Africa, partly due to new laws that share tourism income with local people.

Barrett described the successes as the result of clear goals, credible plans and people who believed they could make a difference, calling the report “the science of hope.” He emphasized that hope is not wishful thinking but active action.

Despite these wins, the overall picture remains stark. WWF, in partnership with the Zoological Society of London, tracks nearly 36,000 populations of almost 6,000 vertebrate species. About half of those populations are stable or growing, but losses elsewhere outweigh gains. Dr. Katie Collins of the Natural History Museum warned that the index excludes many important species, such as plants and insects, which are essential to ecosystems.

WWF says conservation alone cannot reverse the decline; efforts must also address root causes. The biggest pressures come from farming, which destroys habitats, and fossil‑fuel combustion, which drives climate change. The report estimates that in 2023, about $7.3 trillion (£5.53 trillion) was spent on activities that harm nature, compared with $220 billion on protection or restoration—a ratio of roughly 33 to 1.

Barrett, who has worked on seven Living Planet reports, said this is the first where the takeaway message focuses on hope. He added that the science still shows a way out, describing it as an extraordinary and still‑open window of opportunity if action is taken now.

Additional reporting by Kevin Church and Miho Tanaka.