Saving Seafood

SFP’s 2018 Annual Report shows sustainability progress

August 14, 2019 — The following was released by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership:

Sustainable Fishery Partnership (SFP) today released its annual report for 2018, which demonstrates significant advances in fishery improvement—the report can be found online as a PDF download.”

Among other signs of progress, SFP notes in the report that the number of fishery improvement projects (FIPs) supported by SFP’s supply chain roundtables (SRs) has gone up from 45 in 2016 to 63 as of last year. Corporate participation in those SRs has increased as well, from 97 companies in 2016 to 150 companies in 2018. In addition, the report indicates global volume covered by FIPs has gone from 3.4 million metric tons in 2016 to 7.2 million in 2018.

The new report also discusses SFP’s Target 75 initiative, gives a recap of the highlights of SFP’s work from 2018, and describes work SFP did in 2018 in the aquaculture sector. We also noted five companies—Beaver Street Fisheries, Fortune Fish & Gourmet, Jealsa, Seattle Fish Co., and Tesco—that demonstrated support for SFP and the initiative in 2018.

Read the full release here

At Least 1,843 Purse Seine Vessels Fishing for Tuna Worldwide Today, A Slight Decrease versus 2018 Analysis

August 8, 2019 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has issued an updated “snapshot” of Large-Scale Tuna Purse Seine Fishing Fleets report as of June 2019. The total number of purse seinevessels, calculated based on data from the five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), has decreased from 1,871 in 2018 to 1,843 today, mainly due to the removal from RFMO lists of vessels under 24m that are now inactive.

Having an accurate estimate of active vessels is critical for managing tuna fishing capacity regionally as well as globally. Although purse seine vessels account for approximately 65 percent of the 4.9-million-tonne global tuna catch, multiple databases must be searched to count all authorized purse seine vessels. To provide an annual best estimate — and to track capacity changes from year to year — ISSF analyzes and aggregates information from the five tuna RFMOs and other sources. As the report explains, these figures may underestimate the total fleet, because many small-scale purse seiners or purse seiners operating in only one exclusive economic zone (EEZ) do not have to be listed on RFMOs’ records of authorized fishing vessels.

Through its research, ISSF found that in the tropical tuna large-scale purse seine (LSPS) fleet, fish hold volume (FHV) grew by 1 percent since 2018. The report shows approximately 686 vessels (up 2 percent, from 673 last year) defined as large-scale purse seine (LSPS) vessels targeting tropical tuna species (skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye), with a combined fishing capacity of over 860,000 m3. The increase is not all due to new vessel constructions, but also to the addition to RFMO lists of older vessels that were not listed in the past. These vessels may have been inactive for some time or participating in a different fishery, but this type of information is not readily available.

Read the full release here

NOAA: Number of sustainable US stocks near record high

August 5, 2019 — US federal fishing regulators say that the number of US fish stocks at sustainable levels remains at a near-record high.

Some 90% of US stocks are not subject to overfishing, regulators believe.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its annual Status of the Stocks report Aug. 2, which, as is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act, details the stocks that are regulated as “overfished” or subject to “overfishing.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

NOAA Annual Report Shows U.S. Fish Stocks At Sustainable Levels For 2018

August 5, 2019 — The vast majority of U.S. fish stocks were at sustainable levels in 2018, and the number of U.S. fish stocks subject to overfishing remains at a near-all time low.

That’s according to NOAA fisheries in an annual report released Friday on the status of 479 federally managed species. Officials say Atlantic mackerel and big-eye tuna are now considered overfished and Smooth Skate is listed as having been rebuilt.

NOAA Sustainable Fisheries Director Alan Risenhoover says the North Atlantic fishery is fairly stable right now. He says the goal of management is to get optimum yield.

Read the full story at Maine Public

Less overfishing, more overfished: NOAA report reveals environmental impacts to stocks

August 2, 2019 — The 2018 NOAA report on the status of U.S. fisheries has been released, and reveals that environmental factors are having the most impact on stocks that are overfished.

The report, which NOAA puts together every year, indicates that less species were subject to overfishing in 2018 than in 2017 – 28 versus 30 – a year that saw all-time low numbers of overfishing and overfished stocks. That means more than 90 percent of stocks are being fished at a sustainable level.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA: Number of U.S. fish stocks at sustainable levels remains near record high

August 2, 2019 — The following was released by NOAA:

Today, NOAA released the 2018 Status of U.S. Fisheries Annual Report to Congress that details the status of 479 federally-managed stocks or stock complexes in the U.S. to identify which stocks are subject to overfishing, are overfished, or are rebuilt to sustainable levels.

Building upon the trend of the past few years, the report notes that the vast majority of U.S. fish stocks were at sustainable population levels in 2018, and the number of U.S. fish stocks subject to overfishing remains at a near all-time low. The report also documents a newly-rebuilt stock, smooth skate in the Gulf of Maine. This brings the total number of rebuilt U.S. marine fish stocks to 45 since the year 2000, an encouraging indicator that the U.S. fishery management system is achieving its long-term sustainability goals.

“The U.S. is an international leader in fisheries management, and through our work in partnership with the regional councils, we’re on track to maintain that high standard,” said Rear Admiral Timothy Gallaudet, Ph.D., NOAA’s assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere. “Our fishing communities continue to succeed and contribute to the Blue Economy. In 2016 alone, U.S. commercial fishing, recreational fishing, and the seafood industry generated $212 billion in sales, contributed $100 billion to the gross domestic product, and supported 1.7 million full- and part-time jobs.”

Read the full release here

Sharing best-practice: IPNLF & ISSF launch first practical reference guide for pole-and-line fishing

July 16, 2019 — The following was released by the International Pole & Line Foundation & International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

A new guidebook detailing science-based best-practices for maximising catch value and also minimising the environmental impacts of these fisheries is today jointly published by and the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF) and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

The Skippers’ Guidebook to Pole-and-Line Fishing Best Practices has been written by fishers, marine scientists and pole-and-line experts. Aimed at one-by-one fishers and fishery stakeholders, the Guidebook offers practical advice on conducting these artisanal tuna fishing operations — from capture to handling and storage methods.

As highlighted in the Guidebook, pole-and-line fishing has gained attention as a responsible method of harvesting tuna. With the growing consumer awareness about the sustainability of seafood resources, this Guidebook is well placed to provide a resource for fishers globally to optimise the efficiency of their operations, maximise catch quality and recognise and address the environmental impacts of their activities in order to reach the increasing demand for pole-and-line caught products.

Topics covered by the guidebook include:

  • Tuna species targeted by pole-and-line fisheries
  • Fishing operations in pole-and-line tuna fishing
  • Tuna catch handling and storage
  • Baitfish catch methods, management, and utilisation in pole-and-line fisheries

The chapters include a comprehensive series of examples and recommendations to help pole-and-line fishers understand and implement best-practise guidance.

Dr. Victor Restrepo, Vice President of Science at ISSF, says: “ISSF is committed to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of global tuna fisheries. That commitment drives the publication of the ISSF Skippers Guidebook series for longline and purse seine vessel fishers, as well as our observer guidebook — sharing best practices with those stakeholders on the front lines of the collaborative work toward sustainable fisheries. Having expert advisors on our respective science committees in common, ISSF is pleased to partner with the International Pole and Line Foundation in expanding such science-based guidance to the pole-and-line sector.”

Martin Purves, Managing Director of IPNLF, adds: “We believe the Skippers’ Guidebook will prove an important, practical resource not only for the many thousands of pole-and-line fishers around the world, but also for all those many more people connected to these supply chains. The profile of pole-and-line fishing has reached new levels, not only due to the low environmental impacts of these fisheries, but increasingly also because of the social benefits that they bring to the coastal communities connected to them. Like any catch method there is significant scope for further improvements in the sustainability aspects of these fisheries, providing markets with higher quality, more responsibly sourced tuna. There’s no question that this is what today’s consumers are looking for.”

The Skippers’ Guidebook to Pole-and-Line Fishing Best Practices is available online on the ISSF and IPNLF websites.

http://ipnlf.org/resources/ipnlf-documents/document/pole-line-skippers-guidebook

https://iss-foundation.org/download-monitor-demo/download-info/issf-ipnlf-skippers-guidebook-to-pole-and-line-fishing-best-practices/

GSSI Public Consultation on the Benchmark Report for the Marine Eco-Label Japan (MEL) Scheme

July 2, 2019 — The following was released by the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative:

On 1 July 2019, GSSI launched a 30-day public consultation on the GSSI Benchmark Report for the Marine Eco-Label Japan (MEL) scheme.

Marine Eco-Label Japan (MEL) Council applied for GSSI recognition of its MEL scheme in September 2018 and has been benchmarked against the GSSI Global Benchmark Tool on Section A (Governance), Section B (Operational Management) Section C (Aquaculture) and D (Fisheries).

The Independent Experts and the Benchmark Committee found the scheme to be in alignment with all the GSSI Essential Components. GSSI now invites comments from all stakeholders on the recommendation of the Benchmark Committee to recognize the Marine Eco-Label Japan (MEL) scheme for their Aquaculture Management Standard (Version 1.0, 2018) and Fisheries Management Standard (Version 2.0, 2018).

Following the public consultation, the Benchmark Committee, Independent Experts and MEL will process the feedback received. GSSI’s Benchmark Committee will then provide the GSSI Steering Board with a final recommendation on recognition. The Public Consultation feedback will be made publicly available after the GSSI Steering Board’s decision.

Read the full release here

China to revise key law on distant-water fishing

July 2, 2019 — China has signaled a redrafting of its key law on overseas fishing.

Its law, “The Administration of Offshore Fisheries, 2003,” is being updated by the Chinese government, which has been circulating drafts to regional officials and fisheries industry representatives.

The new draft is necessary because China has joined five international fishery bodies or agreements since the 2003 law went into effect, according to a statement from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The new law will allow for higher fines and new limits on switching nationality or switching flags on vessels. But details on how or when the new regulations will be implemented have not yet become publicly available.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

EU, Pacific fish forum engage in first ever policy dialogue

June 24, 2019 — The first ever discussions between the EU and the 17 members of the Forum Fishery Agency (FFA) regarding the management of marine resources took place in Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia on June 21.

The two-day meeting was arranged under the framework of the Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership program (PEUMP), a four-year initiative that aims to reduce levels of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the region, as well as find trade negotiations to remove the need for fishery subsidies.

FFA director general, Manu Tupou-Roosen said: “This policy dialogue is important because it is an opportunity for FFA members and the EU to have an in-depth discussion on key issues relating to the sustainable management of tuna in our region, its importance for Pacific island countries, and our cooperation in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission to tackle issues like IUU fishing.”

Read the full story at Undercurrent News