Saving Seafood

National-level fishery improvement project launched in Indonesia

January 29, 2020 — The following was released by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership:

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is pleased to announce the official launching of an industry-led national-level fishery improvement project (FIP) covering longline tuna in Indonesia. The FIP is listed on the Fishery Progress website as the Indonesia Indian Ocean and Western Central Pacific Ocean tuna – longline FIP.

The comprehensive FIP is being implemented by the Indonesia Longline Tuna Association (ATLI). The scope of the FIP includes:

  • Albacore, yellowfin, and bigeye longline fisheries in the Indian Ocean, within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Indonesia and international waters
  • Yellowfin and bigeye longline fisheries in the Western Central Pacific Ocean, within the archipelagic waters and EEZ, as well as on the high seas.

A total of 14 companies, consisting of fishing companies and processors and ATLI, signed a letter of commitment at the recent FIP launch meeting, which took place at the ATLI Secretariat in Benoa Harbour, Bali, Indonesia, on January 23, 2020. The launch was also attended by the navy commander of Bali Province, representatives from the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the quarantine office of Bali, and ATLI members.

The FIP’s goals include four key areas of focus:

  • Improve data collection on catch and bycatch and improve fishing practices
  • Increase onboard observer coverage in the fleet
  • Strengthen the decision-making process for research, monitoring, and evaluations of the fishery
  • Achieve MSC certification.

”Indonesia is a leading producer of tuna, and implementing this national-level FIP, involving more than 250 longline vessels, can make a global impact in increasing the proportion of  shelf-stable and fresh and frozen tuna from well-managed sources,” said Dessy Anggraeni, director of SFP’s Indonesia FIP work.

Members of the Global Fresh and Frozen Tuna Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) are lending their support to the project and 13 SR members have signed a letter expressing their support for development of this FIP.

Dwi Agus Siswa Putra, chairman of ATLI, said, “We are committed to implement the improvement actions listed in the workplan of the longline tuna fishery improvement project, and hope to move towards MSC certification. Furthermore, we strive to make the Indonesia longline tuna regain its position as a prominent product from Indonesia, that is sustainable and that will make all of us proud.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: You can read more about the FIP on the Fishery Progress website here.

New national-level FIP gets underway in Indonesia

September 17, 2019 — The following was released by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership:

The Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is pleased to announce the development of a new, national-level fishery improvement project (FIP) concerning longline tuna in Indonesia.

SFP made the announcement today in a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony in Jakarta with the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. The prospective FIP includes albacore, yellowfin, and bigeye longline fisheries in the Indian Ocean (WPP 572 and WPP 573) within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Indonesia and international waters (FAO Region 57), as well as yellowfin and bigeye longline fisheries in Western Central Pacific Ocean WPP 714 and WPP 715 (archipelagic waters), and WPPs 716 and 717 (EEZ; FAO Region 71).

SFP’s Target 75 initiative was a part of the driving force behind this FIP. The initiative has set a goal of seeing 75 percent of global production of key seafood sectors, including both shelf-stable and fresh and frozen tuna sectors, to be either sustainable, as in certified by organizations such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), or showing regular, verifiable improvements. SFP’s analysis of the global tuna sector recommends focusing on larger-scale FIPs like this one that offer economies of scale.
Members of SFP’s Fresh and Frozen Tuna Supply Chain Roundtable (SR) are supporting this developing FIP.

“Since Indonesia is considered to be the world’s largest producer of tuna and has the most abundant tuna fisheries in the world, it was only natural for SFP to promote a national-level FIP of this kind in that country,” said Blake Lee-Harwood, programs strategy director at SFP.

ATLI, the Indonesia Longline Tuna Association, is backing the FIP, along with 14 Indonesian tuna fishing companies and processors, involving more than 250 longline vessels that have committed to participate in this FIP. The ATLI Office in Benoa, Bali, will coordinate ongoing organizational efforts.

“This could be a historical milestone for the longline tuna fishery improvement project towards MSC certification,” said ATLI Chairman Dwi Agus Siswa Putra. “We hope that longline tuna will regain its position as a prominent product from Indonesia that makes all of us proud.”

Read the full release here