It’s one of our favorite days of the year — World Tuna Day! A day where we can appreciate the nutrition, health benefits and great taste of tuna while also highlighting the importance of sustainable fishing practices. The UN declared World Tuna Day in 2017 in order to spread global awareness about this natural resource and campaign for sustainably managed fish stocks. If you’re a tuna lover and are looking for ways to celebrate today, this list is for you.

1. Shop Sustainably.

The very best thing you can do to celebrate World Tuna Day is pledge to only purchase sustainable tuna. This means the tuna you consume will be pole-and-line and troll caught in accordance with the recommendations of environmental groups. Wild Planet sources 100% of its tuna exclusively from pole and line catch fisheries, never using FAD, purse seine or long-line gear. In doing so, the company is able to reduce bycatch and preserve our oceans.

Such uncompromising commitment to sustainability has earned Wild Planet the #1 ranking in Greenpeace’s Tuna Rankings two years in a row. Most recently, we were also named Whole Foods’ Global Supplier of the Year and the recipient of its Environmental Steward Award for continuing to elevate Whole Foods’ standards for sustainable seafood sourcing.

By pledging to only purchase sustainably sourced tuna (and seafood), you are voting with your dollars and impacting real change. And remember, if the brand doesn’t explicitly list the catch method, assume the worst.

P.S. Shopping pole-and-line caught tuna not only has environmental benefits but health benefits as well. Because Wild Planet uses pole and line fishing methods and only sources younger, smaller, migratory fish caught near the surface, its tuna naturally contains lower levels of mercury than other brands. Our annual third-party testing protocol verifies that Wild Planet tuna products average 0.076PPM for Skipjack (13 times lower than the FDA “Action Limit” of 1.0PPM) and 0.17PPM for Albacore (six times lower than the FDA “Action Limit” of 1.0PPM). Wild Planet has been controlling the average and range of mercury in its products since 2004 and continues to do so. Please read the Wild Planet perspective on this topic in this PDF document: The Wild Planet Perspective: Mercury Content In Tuna .

2. Go public with your decision.

Don’t be shy, be sure to spread the word about your decision to exclusively purchase pole-and-line caught tuna. Take a food selfie of your tuna creation and post it on social media with hashtag #wildlygoodtuna and your reasons for pledging to eat sustainably sourced seafood. Doing so will not only help educate your friends and community, but it also incentivizes brands to change their fishing methods as well.

3. Ask questions.

Inquire about the catch and sourcing methods of your favorite seafood brands and eateries.

Hold seafood brands and your favorite seafood restaurants accountable by asking how their tuna was caught. In doing so, you can show them that there is a demand for pole-and-line caught, sustainably sourced seafood. You also create a great opportunity to educate them about sustainability. Perhaps they simply are unaware of the destruction mass fishing is having on our oceans and fish.

Wild Planet uses The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® Program’s consumer-friendly ranking system. All of our tuna products are ranked GREEN, meaning they are a best choice for sustainability. All of our products are also 100% traceable back to their eco-superior fisheries.

You can learn more about the various catch methods and their environmental impact in this article: Read about sustainable fishing methods here.

4. Diversify your seafood selections.

Did you know there are approximately forty tuna or tuna-like species in the ocean? Yet most consumers only regularly eat two—albacore and skipjack. As much as we all love tuna, moderation is key, and by diversifying our selection of seafood, we as consumers will be able to play a vital role in promoting a healthy ocean ecosystem. Other great, nutrient-dense seafood options include mackerel, anchovies, sardines and salmon. If you don’t want to branch out from tuna quite yet but want to be more adventurous with your tuna selections, try our Wild Yellowtail Fillets.

Visit the Seafood Watch website to ensure your seafood choices are eco-friendly.

5. Enjoy one of your favorite tuna dishes.

Would it even be World Tuna Day if you didn’t enjoy one of your favorite tuna dishes? Tuna lends itself to countless different flavor profiles and recipes, from Buffalo Tuna Melt to Tuna Pasta Salad. The culinary possibilities are endless! For more recipe inspiration, visit our recipes page.

We hope you are enjoying World Tuna Day. Happy cooking!

Don’t forget to share your World Tuna Day creations with us on social media by tagging @wildplanetfoods on Instagram, or by using the hashtag #wildlygoodtuna.