East Asia

Few countries in the world are more important to the future of global fisheries and the sustainability of global seafood supplies than those in East Asia. Countries such as China, Japan, South Korea and Russia play an outsized role in seafood, and sustainable fisheries globally will not be possible without these countries playing a constructive role.

A region shaping the future of global seafood

East Asia is home to some of the world’s most important seafood producing and consuming regions, with China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea playing a central role in supplying globally sought-after species like tuna and crab.

Together, five countries account for roughly 90 percent of distant-water fishing effort — China and Taiwan alone make up 60 percent, while Japan, South Korea, and Spain each contribute about 10 percent. Fisheries across this region are not only economically vital, but deeply embedded in cultural traditions, and the decisions made here — on the water and across supply chains — have an outsized influence on ocean health, market expectations, and the future of fisheries worldwide.

Across the region, these fisheries are navigating rising expectations for monitoring, transparency, and accountability, driven by evolving regional fisheries management organization (RFMO) requirements and increasing supply chain scrutiny. At the same time, governments and industry leaders are entering a critical window to test, refine, and scale solutions that can deliver real change.

O2 was founded with focus on East Asia and has been instrumental in seeding the sustainable seafood movement across this global epicenter for seafood production. Over the past decade, we have worked to expand adoption of science-based approaches to fisheries management and to build local capacity to support lasting impact.

Our work spans multiple countries and fisheries across East Asia, and it has grown over time.

In Japan, we developed a program that would go on to launch both the first fishery improvement project (FIP) and the first aquaculture improvement project in the country. Both projects leveraged commitments from an important seafood company to spur collaboration and engage local fishery stakeholders to work towards internationally recognized best practices.

In China, we developed a locally-led program that launched the first large-scale marine fishery improvement project in the country. This first-of-its-kind project addressed the sustainability challenges of the region’s red swimming crab fisheries, whose 1,000 plus trawl and pot vessels catch approximately 40,000 metric tons of red swimming crab annually — much of which is imported into the United States.

There, we helped our former China Program Director, Songlin Wang, launch and grow his own locally recognized seafood consultancy named Tao Ran and its sister conservation non-profit Qingdao Marine Conservation Society.

EM+HRDD+work

In Taiwan, we work with seafood companies, vessel owners, academic institutions, and government stakeholders to build the foundations for scalable fisheries improvement. This includes developing and implementing Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs), supporting companies to achieve Marine Stewardship Council Certification, piloting electronic monitoring systems, and helping establish the in-country capacity needed to review data, inform policy, and guide implementation at scale.

In South Korea, we are working with the country’s premier tuna companies to support better fisheries data collection, science-based fisheries management, and improved fishing practices in their fleets. These companies represent and manage a significant portion of the Korean distant water tuna fleet. Our work there also supports efforts to improve domestic fisheries policy, including to strengthen Total Allowable Catch (TAC) systems and improve transparency, data integrity and accountability in fisheries governance.

This work in action

Across East Asia, we work in partnership with governments, NGOs, seafood companies, and regional initiatives to build the conditions for lasting change. Through collaborative projects, technical support, and stakeholder engagement, we help align priorities, strengthen capacity, and translate global expectations into practical, on-the-water solutions.

Our approach focuses on more than individual interventions — we support the systems, relationships, and local leadership needed to sustain progress over time. By connecting partners, co-developing solutions, and investing in the skills and structure that enable implementation, we help turn shared ambition into measurable outcomes across fisheries and seafood supply chains.

Through initiatives like the East Asia Exchange, we engage key stakeholders on the region’s most pressing issues, highlight progress driven by local NGOs and industry, and provide a platform for East Asia-based voices to educate global audiences on the challenges, opportunities, and successes in the East Asian seafood landscape.

We also serve as the Sustainability Envoy to the National Fisheries Institute’ Crab Council, supporting a global network of fisheries, including those that supply the majority of blue swimming crab to the U.S. market. Working across countries including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, India, and Sri Lanka, we partner with local organizations to strengthen the environmental performance and improve social safeguards of important crab fisheries, ensuring they can flourish into the future.

Together, these efforts reflect our broader approach: linking on-the-water improvements with regional collaboration and global best practice — turning commitments into practical, on-the-water change.

East Asia

A region shaping the future of global seafood

Our work spans multiple countries and fisheries across East Asia, and it has grown over time.

This work in action

Northeast Asian Fishery Fishery Improvement Projects:

Stories from the Field: Northeast Asia

Learn more about our partnerships and collaborations across Northeast Asia