Saving Seafood

ISSF Sponsors Global Contest to Reward Marine Science Scholars’ Innovative Ideas for Sustainable Tuna Fishing

March 13, 2019 — The following was published by The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

Marine-science graduate students and postdoctoral researchers interested in helping to pioneer the next generation of sustainable tuna fishing initiatives — especially to reduce bycatch and protect ocean ecosystems — are invited to submit their ideas to the first-ever International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Seafood Sustainability Contest.

The contest opens today to eligible individuals and teams worldwide, who have until midnight December 31, 2019, to submit online entries. Competition judges will announce one $45,000 Grand Prize winner and one $10,000 Runner-Up Prize winner on February 28, 2020. The Grand Prize includes a trip (airfare and travel expenses paid for) for the winning individual or team representative to attend a major tuna sustainability conference or event selected by ISSF with the potential to present the winning idea to diverse stakeholders. Watch a video about the contest.
Tuna species provide a critical source of food and nutrition, economic benefits, and employment opportunities throughout the globe. Tuna comprise a massive 5 percent of the total worldwide fish trade and help contribute to a value chain estimated to be worth $42 billion, making it among the world’s most valuable fish. Commercial tuna fishing, regardless of the fishing method, must be practiced and managed as sustainably as possible to prevent overfishing and to protect other marine species and ocean ecosystems that can be impacted by commercial fishing practices.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      Contest Launches 10th Anniversary Celebration
The ISSF Seafood Sustainability Contest inaugurates the commemoration of ISSF’s first “decade of discovery” (2009-2019), which has been marked by productive partnerships with marine scientists, seafood companies, vessels, Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), charitable foundations, retailers, and fellow NGOs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  “Ten years ago, ISSF formed out of a shared vision and commitment that more could be done — and needed to be done — for the protection and long-term sustainable use of tuna stocks,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “A great deal has been accomplished over that time period, and we’re proud of the legacy we’ve built as ambassadors for science and as collaborators with the diverse collection of NGOs, foundations, retailers, and fishers working in this space. Our tenth-anniversary Seafood Sustainability Contest will allow us to tap into a talented pool of up-and-coming marine science students. We can’t wait to dive into their ideas, and are eager to support potential solutions that result from it.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  To complement and enrich ISSF’s scientific program — which encompasses at-sea research, skippers workshops, and technical reports, for example — the Seafood Sustainability Contest seeks innovative proposals for achieving one or more of these goals in tropical tuna purse-seine fisheries that use Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), which harvest most of the world’s tuna
  • Reducing the bycatch and fishing mortality of sharks
  • Reducing the bycatch and fishing mortality of marine mammals
  • Maximizing the catch of skipjack tuna in FAD sets while minimizing the catch of yellowfin and bigeye tuna(Skipjack stocks are at healthier levels of abundance than yellowfin and bigeye stocks)
  • Reducing the impacts that lost FADs can have on ocean ecosystems and habitats, such as beaching and pollution
A panel of five judges composed of experts drawn from academia and the fishing industry will determine the winners based on the originality of the idea, conservation impact, impact on skipjack catches, the degree to which idea has been tested, the feasibility of industry-wide implementation, and cost-effectiveness.
Before preparing and submitting entries to the Contest, participants must read the official rules. (No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.)
                                                                                                                                                                                                         A Decade of Discovery
In 2009, acclaimed scientists, leaders in the industry, and environmental champions launched the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) based on shared concerns about the future of global tuna fisheries and a desire to do something about it — together.
                                                                                                                                                                                                        ISSF has worked for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of global tuna fisheries through its three pillars of Science, Influence, and Verification:
                                                                                                                                                                                               ·  Tuna Conservation: Through regular status of the Stocks Reports, ISSF creates a window into tuna-stock assessments on a global scale for management, science, and conservation interests.
                                                                                                                                                                                             ·      Bycatch Mitigation: Through-sea research, ISSF-supported scientists uncover new lessons, develop ideas and solutions, and implement strategies and tactics for bycatch mitigation. ISSF develops and disseminates their discoveries and best practices through globalSkippers Workshops.
                                                                                                                                                                                                ·      Seafood Company Compliance: ISSF evaluates participating company compliance with all ISSF Conservation Measures – including an emphasis on traceability from product to processing facility to fishery to vessel – and communicates those results publicly to promote transparency.
                                                                                                                                                                                         ·      Advocacy: Along with NGO partners and other allies, ISSF regularly advocates for critical new RFMO measures to improve global conditions around IUU fishing, deployment of monitoring, control and surveillance technology, harvest control rules, increased observer coverage, and improved data collection.
                                                                                                                                                                                            ·      ProActive Vessel Register: Through the ProActive Vessel Register(PVR), ISSF manages and updates a publicly accessible database of 1,000+ vessels, across all gear types, committed to transparency in their adherence to science-backed and auditable fishing practices.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ISSF launched a new 5-year Strategic Plan in 2018, which formalized support for fisheries improvement activities. Visit the Strategic Plan microsite to learn more.

Bigeye tuna fishery gains MSC certification for first time

March 7, 2019 — A Chinese-operated longline yellowfin and bigeye tuna fishery, located in the Federated States of Micronesia, has become the first bigeye tuna fishery to achieve Marine Stewardship Council certification.

The fishery – owned by Liancheng Overseas Fishery (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. (SZLC), China Southern Fishery ShenZhen Co. Ltd. (CSFC), and Liancheng Overseas Fishery (FSM) Co. Ltd. (FZLC) – gained the certification after an independent assessment. The fishery earlier earned certification for yellowfin tuna in October 2018.

“We are extremely proud to have the first bigeye tuna fishery to be certified to the MSC Standard,” Sam Chou, president of SZLC, said. “It is a distinct honor. Liancheng is the largest Chinese fleet to achieve MSC certification. We are dedicated to achieving certification for all our fisheries.”

The latest stock assessment for bigeye tuna in the area shows stocks are healthy, and being fished at a sustainable rate. According to the MSC, the certification is conditional upon the adoption of harvest strategies including harvest control rules that include all the member states of the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission by 2021.

“We congratulate Liancheng and their partners for becoming the first fishery to be eligible to sell MSC certified bigeye tuna. They are demonstrating true leadership in sustainable fishing,” Bill Holden, senior fisheries outreach manager for the MSC in Oceania and Southeast Asia, said. “To maintain their certification, Liancheng will need to work with other fishing organizations and the WCPFC to agree to important management measures to safeguard bigeye tuna stocks. As a result, this certification could influence the sustainability of bigeye fishing across the entire WCPO.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

New government rules threaten Vietnam’s tuna sector

March 7, 2019 — Tuna importers and exporters in Vietnam are complaining that their business operations have been severely impacted due to new requirements from the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, according to statements from Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

There are two circulars from the ministry that are now affecting both importers and exporters of tuna, VASEP said.

On 25 December, 2018, the ministry issued a revised circular, effective 10 February this year, which stated that consignments imported from ships at the oceans via transit ports in other countries must now submit a certification document or they will not be cleared. The document must include name of the ships, their registration numbers, their flag states, names and volumes of the catches, unloading time and location, and preservation conditions. The document, provided by authorities at the transit ports, must also certify that the catches are kept as at their original state and have not been under any processing phases.

VASEP, however, said most of the countries and territories through which VASEP members import their tuna refuse to provide such a document. Only Thailand and the Philippines had agreed to begin providing the certification, but even their documents do not contain all information required by Vietnamese authorities, VASEP said.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Handline tuna fishery becomes first of its kind in Indonesia to pursue full MSC assessment

March 1, 2019 — North American sushi-quality tuna provider Anova Food, LLC., has put its Fair Trade fishery in North Buru Island, Indonesia, up for full assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council’s sustainability standards, the company announced on 26 February.

The handline tuna fishery has become the first of its kind in Indonesia to pursue the MSC assessment, Anova Food said in a press release. The company is working closely with its processing partner Harta Samudra as well as NGO Masyarakat Dan Perikanan Indonesia (MDPI) and the North Buru Fair Trade Committee to compile the documentation required for the assessment. A site visit has been scheduled for March, wherein the compliance assessment body (CAB) will meet with government representatives and other stakeholders to kick off the rigorous process.

“Years of data collection and sustainable fishery practices by Fair Trade fishermen have set the stage for fulfilling the rigorous demands of MSC certification for this handline fishery and we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Blane Olson, managing director of Anova Technical Services. “Anova first launched the Fair Trade Capture Fishery in North Buru Island five years ago and while it’s successfully been Fair Trade certified, we’ve had our sights set on MSC certification as it’s extremely important for us and our supply chains to reach the highest available standards.”

“At [Indonesia’s Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries] MMAF, we are proud and excited to see the first Indonesian handline tuna fishery enter an MSC full assessment,” added Pak Zulficar Mochtar, director general of capture fisheries. “This assessment sets a precedent not only for Indonesia, but also for small-scale fisheries around the world for which the MSC standard is most challenging to achieve. This has been made possible thanks to the hard work and commitment in the past few years of all parties involved.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Environmental group sues U.S. for material on endangered status for bluefin tuna

February 15, 2019 — The Center for Biological Diversity on Wednesday sued the U.S. government for not releasing public records on why it denied protections for Pacific bluefin tuna, a sushi delicacy, under the Endangered Species Act.

In 2016, CBD petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to list the Pacific bluefin tuna as threatened or endangered under the ESA and to designate critical habitat concurrently with its listing.

Read the full story at Reuters

Tuna investigation slams use of FADs in Indian Ocean

February 15, 2019 — An investigation by French state television broadcaster France 2 into the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) to catch juvenile yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean, aimed to highlight the dark side of the industry to consumers.

Use of FADs has been widespread since the 1980s, but their use now sits at the center of global discussions on the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks and the ecological impact of tuna fisheries. An addition to being associated with the catch of juvenile tuna, FADs are linked to bycatch of vulnerable non-target species such as barracudas, sharks, and turtles, the modification of tuna habitat, damage to coastal habitats from lost and broken-up structures that end up on beaches, and interference with other maritime activities, France 2 reported.

FADs can be natural or artificial floating objects or rafts, which are often made from local materials such as wood, bamboo, pieces of net, twisted rope and floats. They can either be anchored in place or left untethered to drift on the ocean surface. GPS tags are used to facilitate location, and fishers use them as a highly-effective method of improving catch rates and reducing operating costs, as tuna are attracted to the debris.

According to the FAO, in spite of intensive research, the reason why fish are attracted to FADs remains a mystery, but it is possible that they are attracted to floating objects that provide a refuge from predators.

In the two-hour long documentary, entitled “Peche industrielle: gros poissons en eaux troubles,” (Industrial fishing: big fish in troubled waters), which was broadcast on Tuesday, 6 February, presenter Sophie le Gall told viewers that the long-term future of the fishery was under threat because many of the fish being caught are immature and have therefore not had the chance to reproduce.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

NOAA Seeking Volunteers in Tagging Tuna

February 8, 2019 — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is looking for help in tagging tuna.

The Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program was established by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas in 2015 to study key aspects of bigeye, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean.

As part of the AOTTP, Dr. Walt Golet from the University of Maine and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute will be working with colleagues at the New England Aquarium, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, University of Miami, and NOAA Fisheries to deploy 5,000 conventional tags on tuna in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

The effort will stretch from Canada to Venezuela and also includes the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

Those interested in participating in the AOTTP project and would like to volunteer to tag bigeye, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna, can contact Dr. Walt Golet at walter.golet@maine.edu.

NOAA says every fish tagged will give participants a chance to win one of 20 individual cash prizes, totaling more than $39,000, to be awarded at the end of the project.

Read the full story at CapeCod.com

Bumble Bee CEO Tharp sees bright retail future for tuna, but in pouches not cans

January 22, 2019 — Jan Tharp, the interim president and CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, sees tuna fish retail sales growing at a strong rate again but taking a different shape in the not-so-distant future, she told a packed room at the National Fisheries Institute’s Global Seafood Marketing Conference, in San Diego, California.

She was looking at charts of data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI), a Chicago, Illinois-based company that monitors retail sales trends. They showed total sales for seafood up 18%, from $9.8 billion in 2011 to $11.6bn in 2018, and the sale of tuna pouches up 12.3% in the past year.

The sale of seafood shelf-stable seafood was up only 2.9% in 2018, however. And household purchases of canned light tuna have dropped from 48.1% of tuna segment sales in 2014 to 39.3% in 2018, according to IRI.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

Bumble Bee, FCF partner on albacore improvement projects

January 17, 2019 — Bumble Bee Foods and Taiwanese trader Fong Chun Formosa Fishery Company (FCF) are to partner with Ocean Outcomes on an initiative to improve fishing practices of the albacore longline tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean and Western and Central Pacific Ocean, from which Bumble Bee sources.

“As we procure a significant amount of albacore tuna annually to meet demand for our products, we are in a unique position to help ensure the long term sustainability of longline albacore fisheries,” said Mike Kraft, vice president for sustainability at Bumble Bee.

“All of that tuna comes from healthy stocks. This initiative will launch two fishery improvement projects (FIPs) to help ensure those stocks remain healthy, while working to close identified gaps between current fishery operations and other MSC [Marine Stewardship Council] principles.”

A positive transformation of tuna management and tuna fishing practices is gaining momentum, especially in the purse seine sector — but not all harvesting sectors are as far along, the firms said.

Recent catch sector engagement initiatives – such as the Global FIP Alliance for Sustainable Tuna (GFAST) – have made progress in addressing the challenges of international management of tuna fisheries, but there is clearly an opportunity to increase participation from Northeast Asian longline fleets, they added.

Read the full story at Undercurrent News

UK parliamentary inquiry calls for independent review of MSC

January 17, 2019 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) needs to address major concerns raised during an inquiry that looked into the effectiveness of the eco-label and the fishery certification scheme, recommends a new report published by the United Kingdom’s House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee (EAC).

EAC opened its Sustainable Seas inquiry in April 2018 to consider the future of oceans. The inquiry focused on how marine life can be protected from climate change, overfishing, and pollution, and how the U.K. government can create a more sustainable blue economy. One of its oral evidence sessions focused specifically on the MSC, with the participation of MSC CEO Rupert Howes.

In the inquiry, the MSC was criticized for recertifying a tuna fishery where there had been evidence of illegal shark finning dating back as recently as 2015.

“To ensure continued consumer confidence in the MSC certification, we recommend the MSC addresses specific criticisms raised… into its five-year review and strengthens its standard accordingly. These criticisms include its unit of assessment, the need to factor in carbon from ships into its standard, concerns about shark finning (where we look forward to the publication of data verifying the reduction of this practice in 2019) and barriers to entry for small scale fisheries. The review should be transparent and ideally independently evaluated,” stated the report.

Read the full story at Seafood Source