International Seafood Sustainability Foundation

Last updated
International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
Headquarters McLean, Virginia
Membership
World Wildlife Fund

Asian Group
Bolton Alimentari
Bumble Bee Foods
Chicken of the Sea International
Chotiwat Manufacturing Company
Clover Leaf Seafoods
Conservas Garavilla, S.A.
Dongwon
FRINSA
Jealsa Rianxeira S. A.
MPP Trading
MW Brands
Negocios Industriales Real NIRSA S.A.
Pataya Foods
Princes
R.S. Cannery
Salica
Sea Value Company
StarKist Company
Thai Union Manufacturing Company
TriMarine International

Vier Diamanten

Contents

President
Susan Jackson [1]
Website www.iss-foundation.org

International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) was formed in 2009 as a global, non-profit partnership among the tuna industry, scientists and World Wide Fund for Nature. [2] The multistakeholder group states its mission is "to undertake science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health". [3] Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) are primarily responsible for managing the world's tuna stocks—skipjack, yellowfin and albacore tuna, the species most commonly processed for canned and shelf-stable tuna products, but their parliamentary procedures too often allow the short-term economic and political interests of nations to prevent sustainable measures from being adopted. ISSF works to ensure that effective international management practices are in place to maintain the health of all the tuna stocks.

While ISSF is not generally involved in the bluefin segment of the industry, which primarily supplies the sashimi market, the board has enacted a statement of concern urging the adoption of policies supporting proper management of bluefin in the Atlantic – one of the most threatened of all tuna stocks, and they now include bluefin populations in their Status of the Stocks Reports. [4]

Purpose

The ISSF provides regional fisheries management organizations with scientific recommendations to help promote tuna fishing practices that keep oceans (and tuna stocks such as skipjack tuna, albacore tuna, and yellowfin tuna) productive and healthy. In addition the ISSF helps nations combat and monitor illegal and unregulated fishing, a global problem that can damage marine ecosystems and endanger future fish stocks. [5]

Conservation measures

ISSF adopted conservation measures under its principle of governance:

Work with RFMOs to achieve their objectives of conservation of tuna stocks and their ecosystems;
Employ sound science for maximum sustainable yields of targeted tuna stocks;
Strive to eliminate illegal, unregulated, and unreported tuna catching;
Provide for the health and care of the marine ecosystem;
Facilitate use of the precautionary approach;
Minimize by-catch, discards, and abandoned gear;
Collect and exchange data to promote better scientific understanding of tuna stocks;
Support certification programs that meet the 2005 eco-labeling guidelines of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. [6]

Participants

The founders of ISSF are Bolton Alimentari; Bumble Bee Foods, LLC / Clover Leaf Seafoods; MW Brands; Princes Ltd.; Sea Value Co., Ltd.; StarKist Co.; Thai Union Manufacturing Co. Ltd / Chicken of the Sea Intl.; TriMarine International; and WWF, the world's leading conservation organization.

In 2010, Negocios Industriales Real NIRSA S.A., FRINSA, Conservas Garavilla, S.A. and Jealsa Rianxeira S. A. joined the ISSF founders as Participating Companies. In 2011, Chotiwat Manufacturing Co., Ltd, Salica Industria Alimentaria, S.A., R.S. Cannery Co., Ltd, South Seas Tuna Corp, Sealord, Pataya Foods and Asian Alliance joined ISSF. 2012 brought Thai canner, MMP International, and Korean processor Dongwon F&B to ISSF. [7]

Major retailer participation

Processors, traders and importers that participate in ISSF are members of the International Seafood Sustainability Association (ISSA). Membership in ISSA is voluntary and is contingent upon compliance with ISSF conservation measures and standards of practice. [8]

In 2010, major retailers began unveiling sustainability policies that support the work of the ISSF, including Walmart [9] and Loblaw. [10]

Practices

The Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna

The Foundation publishes a yearly report called The Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna, [11] which compiles the most recent science to determine the health of the 19 tuna stocks which support commercial fishing. The most recently updated version of the assessment was released in December 2012. [12]

In 2010, ISSF released its Strategic Plan with three distinct lines of approach for conservation and sustainability of tuna stocks – applied science, advocacy and direct market action. These approaches are applied to six areas of focused effort – managing fishing capacity, mitigating bycatch, eradicating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, expanding data support, advancing industry performance through monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) and improving overall tuna stock health.

ProActive Vessel Register

ISSF's ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) was created in late 2012 and designed to provide third-party validated information on the positive steps fishing vessels take to improve responsible fishing practices. The PVR identifies which of more than 25 ISSF Commitments each vessel has adopted, including implementing strategies to increase supply chain transparency, providing complete catch data to management bodies and continuing education in best practices that reduce fishing's impact on the greater marine environment. [13]

Bigeye tuna recovery efforts

Prior to the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (IATTC) in November 2010, the ISSF urged decision-makers to focus on bigeye tuna stocks rather than increasing the focus on bluefin tuna, another Atlantic species in decline. According to ICCAT's Standing Committee on Research and Statistics (SCRS), bigeye tuna is on its way to recovering from an overfished state, but an increase in catches from the current level could reverse the trend.

The current conservation recommendation has the total allowable catch for Atlantic bigeye at 85,000 metric tons. In 2009, the catch was slightly higher than that, and, with a recent increase in the number of vessels operating in the Atlantic, future catches could continue to exceed the scientific advice. [14]

Bycatch mitigation project

Since 2011, ISSF has been sponsoring a series of cruises in which scientific researchers work with fishers on actual fishing excursions to find methods to mitigate bycatch and better understand how fish behave around FADs. These globally coordinated cruises have been in the Indian and Pacific Oceans and have lasted anywhere from 11 days to two and a half months. The purpose of these cruises is to gain scientific inputs to initiate improvements within the tuna purse seine fishery to reduce the environmental impact of fishing for tuna with FADs. Each cruise accomplished a series of tasks to test improved gear designs and study the behavior of tuna and non-targeted species gathering at FADs. Researchers of shark bycatch and behavior have also a primary subject of research during these cruises. [15] [16]

In 2011 researchers lead cruises in the Eastern Pacific Ocean testing natural behavior of tuna and non-target species, conducted experiments to attract sharks away from FADs, testing alternative FAD designs and shark release best practices. [17]

In 2012 the ISSF lead research cruises in the West Indian Ocean and the Western and Central Pacific Ocean expanding on the work that was done at-sea in 2011. [18]

Skipper workshops

ISSF Bycatch Project cruises paved the way for ISSF-lead workshops held in fishing ports in the Americas, Africa, Europe and the Pacific Islands region. The workshops are modeled after a program that was designed and put into practice by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in the eastern Pacific Ocean. As best practices are learned either through the Bycatch Project or elsewhere, some of the leading scientists and fishing experts in the world act as teachers to both fishers and policymakers in tuna fishing regions around the world. [19] [20]

Make the Commitment project

In July 2011, the ISSF launched the Make the Commitment project, the next phase of its strategic effort to transform tuna fisheries. The global improvement plan addresses the sustainability of the three most common methods of tuna fishing: purse seine, longline, and pole and line. [21]

"Advocacy alone is insufficient, research alone is insufficient and it is not enough to simply educate...In order to improve the sustainability of tuna stocks, there must be a combination of these efforts working in tandem, with the same goal." -Susan Jackson, President of ISSF

The Make the Commitment project, which is a Global Improvement Plan for Better Practices in Tuna Fisheries, is available online, and recognizes that rather than abandoning fisheries with flaws, stakeholders should work to facilitate advancements. ISSF is calling on fishers, processors, governments and conservationists to put their strengths to work for the most commonly fished tuna species – skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore. [22]

Commitments currently in effect: [23]
• ISSF participating companies are to refrain from transactions in tuna caught by vessels on the IUU list of any tRFMO;
• Vessels will provide data to tRFMO scientific bodies to support the execution of their responsibility for tuna conservation and management;
• tuna products must comply with ISSF resolution 09–01, "IUU Fishing", and upon discovery of a violation, a participating company will withdraw product from the market place;
• credibly trace tuna products from capture to plate, including name/flag of catcher and transshipping vessels, fish species, ocean of capture, corresponding tuna RFMO area, fishing trip dates, fishing gear employed, date the company took ownership of the fish and each species by weight;
• refrain from transactions in tuna caught by large-scale pelagic driftnets and
• establish and publish company policy prohibiting shark-finning.

Fishing capacity reduction

The ISSF Board adopted a conservation measure to limit the growth in fishing capacity of the global large-scale tropical tuna purse seine fleet. The resolution calls on processors, traders, importers and others to refrain from transactions in skipjack, bigeye and yellowfin tuna caught by large-scale purse seine vessels that did not exist before January 2013, unless new vessels replace existing capacity. [24]

Marine Protected Areas

ISSF commissioned a study to determine if Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) can be put to work for the conservation of tuna stocks and found that area closure could be an effective tool but more research is needed. To further explore the issue, ISSF held a workshop with more than 30 conservation and science experts to consider if MPAs can be effectively used, and how they can be implemented. [25]

100% purse seine observer coverage

The ISSF Board adopted a conservation measure calling on processors, traders and importers to refrain from transactions with purse seine vessels that do not have an onboard observer as of January 2013. ISSF is also developing a training program to ensure that observer coverage, and subsequent data collection, is effective. [26]

ISSF also conducts "real world" testing of video electronic monitoring systems designed for instances where onboard human observation is not practical or as a support to live observation. [27]

FAD management

Data on fish aggregating devices, known as FADs, is currently sparse in many ocean regions. ISSF has developed an electronic FAD logbook for vessels to record usage data and electronically report that information directly to RFMO scientific bodies. The ISSF Board has called for industry participants to support only those vessels that report their FAD usage via logbooks after January 2013. This data is a necessary component of the meaningful implementation of FAD management by RFMOs, which ISSF also supports. [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuna</span> Tribe of fishes

A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, which averages 2 m (6.6 ft) and is believed to live up to 50 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albacore</span> Species of tuna

The albacore, known also as the longfin tuna, is a species of tuna of the order Scombriformes. It is found in temperate and tropical waters across the globe in the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones. There are six distinct stocks known globally in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. The albacore has an elongate, fusiform body with a conical snout, large eyes, and remarkably long pectoral fins. Its body is a deep blue dorsally and shades of silvery white ventrally. Individuals can reach up to 1.4 m in length.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longline fishing</span> Commercial fishing technique

Longline fishing, or longlining, is a commercial fishing angling technique that uses a long main line with baited hooks attached at intervals via short branch lines called snoods or gangions. A snood is attached to the main line using a clip or swivel, with the hook at the other end. Longlines are classified mainly by where they are placed in the water column. This can be at the surface or at the bottom. Lines can also be set by means of an anchor, or left to drift. Hundreds or even thousands of baited hooks can hang from a single line. This can lead to many deaths of different marine species. Longliners – fishing vessels rigged for longlining – commonly target swordfish, tuna, halibut, sablefish and many other species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic bluefin tuna</span> Species of fish

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is a species of tuna in the family Scombridae. It is variously known as the northern bluefin tuna, giant bluefin tuna [for individuals exceeding 150 kg (330 lb)], and formerly as the tunny.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellowfin tuna</span> Species of fish

The yellowfin tuna is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Marine Fisheries Service</span> Office of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), informally known as NOAA Fisheries, is a United States federal agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that is responsible for the stewardship of U.S. national marine resources. It conserves and manages fisheries to promote sustainability and prevent lost economic potential associated with overfishing, declining species, and degraded habitats.

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is a tuna regional fishery management organisation, responsible for the management and conservation of tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. The organization was established in 1966, at a conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and operates in English, French and Spanish. The organisation has been strongly criticised by scientists for its repeated failure to conserve the sustainability of the tuna fishery by consistently supporting over-fishing – an internal review branded ICCAT's policies on the eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery a "travesty of fisheries management", and an "international disgrace". Conservationists often refer to ICCAT as "The International Conspiracy to Catch All Tuna".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skipjack tuna</span> Species of fish

The skipjack tuna is a medium-sized perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae, and is the only member of the genus Katsuwonus. It is otherwise known as the balaya, bakulan/kayu, tongkol/aya, aku (Hawaii), cakalang (Indonesia), katsuo, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna or victor fish. It grows up to 1 m (3 ft) in length. It is a cosmopolitan pelagic fish found in tropical and warm-temperate waters. It is a very important species for fisheries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fish aggregating device</span> Man-made object used to attract ocean-going pelagic fish

A fish aggregatingdevice (FAD) is a man-made object used to attract ocean-going pelagic fish such as marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi. They usually consist of buoys or floats tethered to the ocean floor with concrete blocks. FADs attract fish for numerous reasons that vary by species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigeye tuna</span> Species of fish

The bigeye tuna is a species of true tuna of the genus Thunnus, belonging to the wider mackerel family Scombridae. In Hawaiian, it is one of two species known as ʻahi, the other being the yellowfin tuna. Bigeye tuna are found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, but not in the Mediterranean Sea.

A regional fishery body (RFB) is a type of international organization that is dedicated to the sustainability of fishery resources in a particular region, or of highly migratory species, whose such capacity has been recognized by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. An RFB is classified as one of the following two types:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing</span> International issue

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) is an issue around the world. Fishing industry observers believe IUU occurs in most fisheries, and accounts for up to 30% of total catches in some important fisheries.

Dolphin-safe labels are used to denote compliance with laws or policies designed to minimize dolphin fatalities during fishing for tuna destined for canning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission</span>

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is both a general and a tuna regional fisheries management organisation established to conserve and manage tuna and other highly migratory fish stocks across the western and central areas of the Pacific Ocean. Its full name is Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. It commenced operations in late 2005, and its secretariat is based in Pohnpei, in the northern Pacific state of the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Nauru Agreement Concerning Cooperation in the Management of Fisheries of Common Interest, or The Nauru Agreement is an Oceania subregional agreement between the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. The eight signatories collectively control 25–30% of the world's tuna supply and approximately 60% of the western and central Pacific tuna supply.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feng Sushi</span>

Feng Sushi is a UK-based restaurant chain known for advocating sustainable fish farming. The company was founded in 1999 by chef Silla Bjerrum and chef Jeremy Rose, with restaurant entrepreneur Luke Johnson the majority owner since 2010.

High seas fisheries management refers to the governance and regulation of fishing activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction, often referred to as the 'high seas'. The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1995 United Nations Fish Stock Agreement (UNFSA) provide the international legal framework for the regulation of fishing activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The United Nations Fish Stock Agreement delegates responsibility for conservation and management of fish stocks to regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) each governing a geographical area of the high seas.

<i>Billfish in the Indian Ocean</i> Species of billfish found in the Indian ocean

Of the twelve species of billfish, there are six species of Billfish in the Indian Ocean.

US FWS <i>Hugh M. Smith</i> U.S. fisheries research vessel

US FWS Hugh M. Smith was an American fisheries science research vessel in commission from 1949 to 1959 in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service. She was among the first U.S. fisheries science vessels to explore the central Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish.

US FWS <i>Charles H. Gilbert</i> American fisheries science research vessel

US FWS Charles H. Gilbert was an American fisheries science research vessel in commission from 1952 to 1970 in the fleet of the United States Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service and from 1970 to 1973 in the fleet of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration as NOAAS Charles H. Gilbert. She was among the first U.S. fisheries science vessels to explore the central Pacific Ocean in search of commercially valuable populations of fish.

References

  1. ↑ "Board of Directors". International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ "'Unprecedented' Global Partnership Launched Address The Growing Threats To Global Tuna Populations". Underwater Times. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  3. ↑ "About ISSA « ISSA" . Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  4. ↑ "Status of the Stocks – International Seafood Sustainability Foundation". iss-foundation.org. Archived from the original on 2011-04-02.
  5. ↑ "What is the ISSF?". Canned Tuna. Archived from the original on 2012-08-27. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  6. ↑ "International Seafood Sustainability Foundation". World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  7. ↑ "Participants". ISSF. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  8. ↑ "Participating Companies". International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "Walmart Canada announces sustainable seafood policy". CNW. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  10. ↑ "Loblaw's Sustainable Seafood Commitment" (PDF). Loblaw. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
  11. ↑ "Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna". ISSF. Archived from the original on 2010-04-14. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  12. ↑ "ISSF Stock Status Ratings 2012". ISSF Technical Report. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "The ProActive Vessel Register". International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  14. ↑ "ISSF: Maintain bigeye tuna quotas". SeafoodSource.com. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  15. ↑ "#BycatchProject Overview of Scientific Research Projects: 2011-2012" (PDF). International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  16. ↑ "Ship sails in search of sustainable tuna". BBC. 2011-05-10. Retrieved 2011-07-05.
  17. ↑ "Scientists Work Side-by-Side with Crew Aboard Pacific Tuna Vessel to Identify Sustainable Fishing Solutions Global Coalition Launches Innovative At-Sea Project to Protect Tuna Stocks & Marine Life". Press Release. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  18. ↑ "ISSF's #BycatchProject Cruises in the western & central Pacific". Press Release. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  19. ↑ Crispino, Mike (26 December 2012). "CLOSING OUT THE YEAR WITH 7 SKIPPERS' WORKSHOPS". ISSF Blog. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  20. ↑ Dagorn, Laurent (4 February 2013). "Focus on FADs in Brussels". ISSF Blog. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  21. ↑ "ISSF Commits to Tuna Projects". World Fishing. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  22. ↑ "Marine Conservation Coalition Sets Deadlines". Scoop Independent News. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  23. ↑ "Make the Commitment Project". International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  24. ↑ "RESOLUTION 12-02: CAPACITY REDUCTION". International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  25. ↑ Davies, Tim; Martin, Sarah; Mees, Chris; Chassot, Emmanuel; Kaplan, David (25 January 2012). "A review of the conservation benefits of marine protected areas for pelagic species associated with fisheries". ISSF Technical Report. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  26. ↑ "RESOLUTION 12-03: TO AMEND RESOLUTION 11-03 TO ESTABLISH MULTI-ANNUAL COMMITMENTS". International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  27. ↑ Crispino, Mike (13 December 2012). "Guidance on Electronic Monitoring". ISSF Blog. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
  28. ↑ "ProActive Vessel Register" (PDF). International Seafood Sustainability Foundation. Retrieved 20 March 2013.
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