Abandoned tuna fishing gear smashes corals, harms wildlife in marine refuges, study finds

Muzammil Hussain June 24, 2026

A raft with ropes floating in the water with islands in the background

The tuna in your sandwich was likely caught with the aid of drifting rafts called fish aggregating devices (FAD). New Canadian research finds that abandoned FADs are smashing into coral reefs and endangering wildlife — even in marine protected areas. But there are ways to make tuna fishing more sustainable, researchers say.

The tuna in your sandwich was likely caught with the aid of drifting rafts called fish aggregating devices (FAD). New Canadian research finds that abandoned FADs are smashing into coral reefs and endangering wildlife — even in marine protected areas. But there are ways to make tuna fishing more sustainable, researchers say. A raft with ropes floating in the water with islands in the background

The tuna in your sandwich was likely caught with the aid of drifting rafts called fish aggregating devices (FAD). New Canadian research finds that abandoned FADs are smashing into coral reefs and endangering wildlife — even in marine protected areas. But there are ways to make tuna fishing more sustainable, researchers say.