Saving Seafood

Whole Foods’ New Canned Tuna Policy: Only Pole-and-Line, Troll, or Handline Caught Tuna By 2018

March 20, 2017 — SEAFOOD NEWS — By January 2018, all canned tuna sold at Whole Foods Market must come from fisheries using only pole-and-line, troll, or handline catch methods, all of which take fish one by one, preventing bycatch and creating more jobs in coastal communities.

Whole Foods Market is the first national retailer to create such stringent standards for canned tuna, which is among the three most consumed seafood items in the United States.

The policy’s aim is to reduce overfishing and bycatch, and support fishing communities. The new sourcing policy includes canned tuna items sold in the grocery aisle as well as the prepared foods department.

Whole Food’s new canned tuna policy requires that the fisheries be certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council or rated green or yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and The Safina Center.

Every supplier must also use Trace Register, traceability software that tracks each lot of tuna at every point from vessel to can. The traceability data are continuously crosschecked to help verify sourcing and prevent illegally caught or unauthorized fish from entering the supply chain.

“We created this new policy for canned tuna because we want to lead by example in sourcing only the highest quality, sustainably caught tuna,” said Carrie Brownstein, global seafood quality standards coordinator for Whole Foods Market.

“Combined with better international fishery management, overfishing and bycatch can be greatly reduced when tuna is caught by these low-impact fishing methods. We are honored to be working with suppliers and partners who are driving positive change.”

Leading brands that already source canned tuna from one-by-one fisheries, including 365 Everyday Value®, American Tuna, Pole and Line, Henry and Lisa’s, and Wild Planet, are updating their operations to meet the policy’s traceability requirements. These measures will also help importers get ahead of the traceability provisions in NOAA’s Seafood Import Monitoring Program, which has a deadline for mandatory compliance by Jan. 1, 2018.

Over the coming months, remaining suppliers will shift their operations and fishing practices to use the approved one-by-one catch methods, which are more environmentally friendly and offer more employment opportunities for fishermen worldwide.

“Since America is the largest canned tuna market in the world, shifts toward greater sustainability in this category can create a meaningful, positive impact on our oceans and our global fishing communities,” said Adam Baske, director of policy and outreach for International Pole and Line Foundation. “In some cases, these one-by-one fisheries are one of very few sources of local employment. The boats also make relatively short trips, enabling crews to return home frequently, compared to large industrial tuna vessels that may spend multiple months or even years at sea.”

Whole Foods Market’s new canned tuna policy expands on the retailer’s existing sustainability standards for fresh and frozen seafood, which also require that all seafood must either be certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council or rated green or yellow by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and The Safina Center. Additionally, all of the retailer’s farmed seafood must meet its industry-leading aquaculture standards, which include third-party on-site audits.

In 2016, Whole Foods Market introduced the retailer’s first Fair Trade certified yellowfin tuna, a designation which ensures better wages and working conditions for fishermen, and provides additional funding to their communities for improvement projects and investments. Fair Trade certification also verifies full supply chain traceability.

These continual advancements in policies and sourcing are part of Whole Foods Market’s mission to create a model that moves the seafood industry toward greater sustainability.

This story originally appeared on Seafoodnews.com, a subscription site. It is reprinted with permission. 

MSC achieves GSSI recognition

March 15, 2017 — The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has become the first global sustainable seafood certification program to achieve recognition from the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI).

The MSC’s blue check eco-label is used to designate wild-caught seafood as sustainable. The MSC, which was founded in 1997 by the World Wildlife Fund and Unilever, lists its main objectives as promoting best practices in fishing, creating market incentives to reward sustainable fishing practices, and providing a framework and pathway for fishery improvement.

The GSSI, launched in October 2015 with support from numerous companies involved in the global seafood trade, seeks to “provide clarity of seafood certification worldwide through a multi-component review that is based upon the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the FAO Guidelines for seafood certification and eco-labeling.”

“Recognition from GSSI reaffirms the rigor and credibility of MSC certification. Anyone committing to purchase MSC certified seafood can be confident that it reflects global best practice in fisheries management,” MSC CEO Rupert Howes said in announcement.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

50 NGOs critique MSC over bycatch

January 26, 2017 — A group of 50 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has sent a letter to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) expressing their concerns about its certification of fisheries with high levels of bycatch.

The letter was authored by Kate O’Connell of the Animal Welfare Institute and Friederike Kreme-Obrock of Sharkproject Germany and signed by the heads of 50 nonprofits dedicated to environmental conservation, including dozens of groups dedicated to the protection and preservation of sharks, whales and dolphins.

“Many of our organizations have commented on fishery assessments under the MSC process, and over the years we have noted an apparent, and deeply worrying, lack of concern regarding the potential impacts on these species, as well as certain target species,” the letter said. “It is our view that many of the fisheries that have been assessed via the MSC certification process have not been subject to an adequate review of information available on bycatch of non-target species.”

The letter accuses the MSC of being subjective in interpreting evidence and in estimating the effects of a fishery’s impact on non-targeted species. It cites the absence of in-depth stock assessments for some species of bycatch as a problem under MSC Principle 2, which aims to maintain population levels of all species affected by a fishery at biological based limits.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

ISSF Report Shows Management of Many Tuna Stocks Falling Short of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Sustainability Standards

January 24, 2017 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

WASHINGTON — Only 11 of 19 major commercial tuna stocks are being managed to avoid overfishing and restore depleted fish populations, in part because the majority (16) of them are not protected by well-defined harvest control rules (HCRs) from Regional Fishing Management Organizations (RFMOs), according to independent scientists in a report published by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

About the Report

In response to inconsistencies amongst assessments of tuna stocks against the MSC certification standard, “An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria” takes a global, comprehensive approach to scoring stocks against certain components of the MSC standard. In addition, the report — authored by experienced MSC assessors Joseph E. Powers and Paul A. H. Medley and updated twice since first published in 2013 — is designed to:

  • Provide a basis for comparing between stocks scores as assessed by the same experts
  • Become a useful source document for future tuna certifications or in the establishment of tuna Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs)
  • Offer a “snapshot” of the current status of the stocks, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of RFMOs
  • Prioritize ISSF projects and advocacy efforts against initiatives that will improve low performance indicator scores

The scores in this report focus on stock status (MSC Principle 1) and the international management aspects relevant to RFMOs (part of MSC Principle 3) and are based on publicly available fishery and RFMO data. Each of these Principles is evaluated in relationship to Performance Indicators (PIs) within each Principle.

Key Findings

The report scores tuna stocks (bigeye, yellowfin, albacore, and skipjack — but not bluefin) and each tuna RFMO (ICCAT, IATTC, WCPFC, and IOTC). An 80 is a passing score, below 60 is a failing score, and 60–79 would indicate a conditional pass, with the requirement that any deficiency is addressed within five years if a fishery were to become MSC-certified. The stock scores for each principle, which are comprised of scores for performance indicators within the principle, show that:

  • Principle 1: “A fishery must be conducted in a manner that does not lead to over-fishing or depletion of the exploited populations and, for those populations that are depleted, the fishery must be conducted in a manner that demonstrably leads to their recovery.”
    • Among seven tuna species in the Atlantic Ocean, only one — Northern Albacore, which “has recovered from biomass reductions several decades ago” — received an overall principle-level passing score.
    • In contrast, in the Pacific, only one stock — Western Bigeye, which has been undergoing a steady decline since the 1970s — received an overall principle-level failing score.
    • Likewise, in the Indian Ocean, only Yellowfin received an overall failing score. However, the outlook for that stock in 2016 is slightly more optimistic than it was in 2015.
    • Yellowfin stocks in the Eastern Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans require rebuilding, as do Mediterranean Albacore; Atlantic Bigeye; and Western Pacific Bigeye and Eastern Pacific Bigeye.
    • Mediterranean Albacore and Western Pacific Bigeye had the most failing scores on individual performance indicators — including stock status, stock rebuilding, and harvest control rules and tools.
    • Only Eastern Pacific Skipjack received passing scores of 80 on each of the six performance indicators for Principle 1.
  • Principle 3: “The fishery is subject to an effective management system that respects local, national and international laws and standards and incorporates institutional and operational frameworks that require use of the resource to be responsible and sustainable.”
    • Two RFMOs examined in the report — WCPFC and IATTC — received passing scores for all seven performance indicators under Principle 3.
    • The other two RFMOs — ICCAT and IOTC — received conditional pass scores on these performance indicators: “consultation, roles and responsibilities” and “compliance and enforcement.” ICCAT was given a conditional pass score for “legal and customary framework.” Other performance indicators include “long term objectives”; “fishery specific objectives”; “decision-making processes”; and “management performance evaluation.”
    • All four RFMOs received overall principle-level passing scores from the authors.

The Evaluation report also includes detailed remarks on each stock, evaluations of the four RFMOs, and comprehensive reference citations.

As the authors note, the “status of stock determinations change continually with new data, new assessments and new findings.” A comparison of the December 2016 report to the previous March 2015 version reveals that good progress has been made in the adoption of interim harvest control rules for several stocks in IATTC and IOTC, as well as in the RFMO management frameworks (previously, both ICCAT and IOTC failed to score 80 or higher).

“ISSF applauds tuna RFMOs for improving their management frameworks,” comments Dr. Victor Restrepo, ISSF Vice President, Science. “While the slow pace is not ideal, it is evident that progress is being made. These improvements must continue if we are to ensure sustainable tuna fisheries into the future.”

While the Evaluation report focuses on tuna stock status and sustainability as well as on RFMO policies, it does not address national or bilateral fishing jurisdictions, gear- or fleet-specific ecosystem impacts, or specific fisheries’ ecosystems — all of which are also considered within the MSC assessment methodology.

Since 2011, ISSF has been an active stakeholder in MSC tuna fishery assessments and certifications. ISSF works to develop and implement verifiable, science-based practices, commitments and international management measures to help all tuna fisheries become capable of meeting the MSC certification standard without conditions.

Bahamian spiny lobster fishery embarks on sustainability assessment

January 12, 2017 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Bahamian spiny lobster fishery has stepped forward for assessment to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) global standard for sustainable fishing. Working with scientists, the fishing industry and conservation groups, MSC has developed the world’s most credible and recognized standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood.

Since 2009, the World Wildlife Fund, together with Bahamas Marine Exporters Association, The Bahamas Department of Marine Resources and The Nature Conservancy, have been driving improvements to the fishery. Through a Fishery Improvement Project addressing governance, fishing practices, and environmental impacts, their efforts have been aimed at helping the fishery meet the MSC standard.

Spiny lobster is an important commercial species in The Bahamas. The $90 million Bahamian lobster industry employs about 9,000 fishers who cover a massive 45,000 square miles of ocean. More than 4 million pounds of spiny lobster tails are exported each year, primarily to the United States and Europe. Chances are high that the lobster tail you pick up at your local grocery store is Bahamian.

If certified, these lobster tails will be eligible to carry the internationally recognized blue MSC ecolabel, which provides consumers an easy way to choose seafood that can be traced back to a certified sustainable source.

Mia Isaacs, president of Bahamas Marine Exporters Association (BMEA) which is supporting this assessment said:”In The Bahamas, a growing share of the seafood sector recognizes the economic benefits of MSC certification. Keeping stocks healthy can open new markets, satisfy eco-minded consumers, and ensure that there will be lobsters to catch in the future.

Wendy Goyert, World Wildlife Fund senior program officer said: “The Fishery Improvement Project has made a myriad of accomplishments – adoption of a harvest control rule, lobster trap fishery bycatch studies, a stock assessment, and the establishment of a data collection and management system – all of which put Bahamian spiny lobster in good position for MSC assessment.”

Brian Perkins, MSC regional director – Americas, said: “We welcome the Bahamian spiny lobster fishery’s decision to enter MSC assessment and the hard work that’s been done through their fishery improvement project. This is an important milestone for the MSC and for fishing in The Bahamas.”

The independent assessment will be conducted by ME Certification Ltd., an accredited third-party conformity assessment body. ME Certification Ltd. will assemble a team of fishery science and policy experts to evaluate the fishery according to the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard: the health of the stock of spiny lobster; the impact of fishing on the marine environment; and the management of the fishery. The process takes around 18 months and is open to stakeholders. All results are peer reviewed and no decision is made about a fishery’s sustainability until after the assessment is complete.

Marine Stewardship Council: Argentine anchovy fishery proves it’s sustainable, again

January 10, 2017 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Argentine anchovy fishery has achieved re-certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. This science-based standard is the world’s most credible and recognized standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood. The Argentine anchovy fishery has been certified to this standard since 2011.

This fishery, which operates in the waters of Argentina and Uruguay, was the first anchovy fishery in the world to achieve MSC certification. When originally certified to the MSC standard in 2011, there were two companies, Delicias S.A. and Centauro S.A., operating five vessels, representing 10 to 15 percent of the total catch of the assessed fishery. Today, 13 companies operating 24 vessels have been assessed for the recertification.

The fishing vessels are: Mercea C; Canal de Beagle; Belvedere; Padre Pio; Teson; Jupiter II; Centauro 2000; Raffaela; Don Raimundo; San Genaro; Don Carmelo; Orión I; Messina I; Franca; Maria Gracia; Marta S; Rocío del Mar; Nuevo Viento; Argentino; Atrevido; Victoria II; Florida Blanca; Nono Pascual and Don Nicola. The fishers use semi-pelagic mid-water trawling nets. The net is made of 4mm diameter nylon and has a total length of 60-70m, kept afloat by 60 buoys.

“We are committed to fishing in a responsible and sustainable manner, and protecting the natural resources of the ocean is a key component of our business. As the first MSC-certified anchovy fishery in the world, we are proud to have the MSC process again validate the sustainability of our well-managed and healthy fisheries.” – Carlos Rodriguez, manager, Centauro (fishery client)

The internationally recognized blue MSC ecolabel will continue to assure consumers that Argentine Anchovy products can be traced back to a certified sustainable source.

Brian Perkins, MSC regional director – Americas, said: “When people purchase MSC certified seafood, their choice supports fishermen around the world – like the Argentine Anchovy fishers – who are working hard to meet the world’s most rigorous standard for environmental sustainability. We are extremely pleased to see this fishery succeed in the MSC process yet again.”

The independent assessment of the Argentine Anchovy fishery was conducted by Organizacion Internacional Agropecuaria (OIA), an accredited third-party conformity assessment body. OIA assembled a team of fishery science and policy experts to evaluate the fishery according to the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard: the health of the stock; the impact of fishing on the marine environment; and the management of the fishery. The MSC process is open to stakeholders and all results are peer reviewed.

Northeast Pacific is the region producing most Marine Stewardship Council fish

December 23, 2016 — The Northeast Pacific fishing area annually produces a total of 2.6 million metric tons of certified seafood from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) sustainable fishing standard, representing 83 per cent of the total catch of the area.

The MSC certified seafood from the area — covering Northern California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea waters — ranks first for the percentage and includes MSC certified salmon, albacore tuna, pink shrimp, hake, halibut, sablefish, Pacific cod, and Alaska pollock fisheries.

Another North American fishing area, the Northwest Atlantic — waters from North Carolina, the US mid-Atlantic, New England, and Eastern Canada — ranked seventh globally with 32 per cent (580,000 metric tons) of the total catch being MSC certified.

This area is home to MSC certified swordfish, spiny dogfish, sea scallop, lobster, Acadian redfish, haddock, pollock, Atlantic halibut, snow crab, Northern shrimp and Arctic surf clam fisheries.

The analysis and ranking was done as part of the recently published MSC Annual Report 2015-2016, which also reported that MSC certified fisheries caught more than 9.3 million metric tons of seafood in 2015-16, representing almost 10 per cent of the total global wild caught seafood by volume.

The global volume of MSC certified catch has increased by 6 per cent since 2014-15, while the MSC certified supply chain has climbed 16 per cent over the same period.

Between April 2015 and March 2016, the number of processors, restaurants and caterers with MSC Chain of Custody grew from 2,879 to 3,334 companies, operating in 37,121 sites across 82 countries. More than 20,000 products now carry the blue MSC label and can be traced back to fisheries which meet the MSC’s world-class standard for sustainable fishing.

Commenting on the results, Brian Perkins, MSC Regional Director – Americas, said, “When people purchase MSC certified seafood, their choice supports fishermen around the world who are working hard to meet the world’s most rigorous standard for environmental sustainability.”

“While we’re proud of the MSC certified fisheries here in North America, it takes a global effort to safeguard seafood supplies for the future,” pointed out Perkins.

For her part, Christina Burridge, Executive Director, B.C. Seafood Alliance and Chair, International Association of Sustainable Fisheries, stressed that fishermen on the Pacific Coast of the US and Canada are proud to be recognized by the MSC for their responsible stewardship of a renewable food resource for their countries and the world.

Read the full story at Fish & Information Services

Maine lobster fishery achieves MSC sustainability certification

December 15, 2016 — The following was released by the Marine Stewardship Council:

The Gulf of Maine lobster fishery has achieved certification to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard. Certification proves that all commercial vessels licensed by the State of Maine and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that fish within the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Lobster Conservation Management Area 1 and sell lobster to the Maine Certified Sustainable Lobster Association meet rigorous sustainability requirements. The MSC’s science-based standard is the world’s most credible and recognized standard for environmentally sustainable wild-caught seafood.

Craig A. Rief, President of the Maine Certified Sustainable Lobster Association said: “Maine lobster is known domestically and around the world as an iconic species that defines high quality seafood. With MSC certification, our customers have the assurance that Maine lobster is harvested in a sustainable way and will be available long into the future.”

The Maine Certified Sustainable Lobster Association (MCSLA) is a group of New England lobster wharf operators, processors, dealers and wholesalers. In September 2014, the MCSLA submitted the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery to independent, third-party assessment against the MSC standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. The members of the MCSLA are: Cape Bald Packers Ltd; Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods; Cozy Harbor Seafood, Inc.; Craig’s All Natural, LLC; D. C. Air & Seafood, Inc.; East Coast Seafood, LLC; Eastern Traders; Inland Seafood; and Maine Coast Shellfish LLC. The sustainability certification for the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery is in parallel with a separate MSC certification for the fishery that was achieved in 2013.

The Gulf of Maine is the center of the US lobster industry, accounting for more than two-thirds of the nation’s lobster landings. Over four thousand commercial fishermen actively harvest Maine lobster. Lobster catches in Maine have continued to increase, to 127 million pounds in 2013, well above all previous values. The Maine Department of Marine Resources reports the total landed value for Maine lobster in 2013 was $364 million, a $22 million increase over 2012 and $30 million over 2011. Maine lobster is sold live, fresh and frozen in domestic and international markets.

Brian Perkins, MSC regional director – Americas, said: “The MSC’s vision is for oceans to be teeming with life for future generations. We are extremely pleased to see the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery succeed in the MSC process and we hope to be their partner in creating and maintaining new markets.”

The independent assessment of the Gulf of Maine lobster fishery was conducted by SAI Global Assurance Services, an accredited third-party conformity assessment body. SAI Global Assurance Services assembled a team of fishery science and policy experts to evaluate the fishery according to the three principles of the MSC Fisheries Standard: the health of the stock; the impact of fishing on the marine environment; and the management of the fishery. The MSC process is open to stakeholders and all results are peer reviewed.

Thai Union commits to sustainable tuna, targets 75 percent by 2020

December 14, 2016 — Thai Union Group PCL has announced its intention to ensure 100 percent of its branded tuna is sustainably sourced, with a commitment of achieving a minimum of 75 percent by 2020.

The pledge will apply to all of the seafood company’s tuna brands sold around the world, including Chicken of the Sea and Genova in the North American market, John West in Northern Europe and the Middle East, Mareblu in Italy, Petit Navire in France and SEALECT in Thailand.

Each of these brands will publically report on a regular basis on their progress against the 2020 commitment, the company said.

As part of its new tuna strategy, Thai Union will invest USD 90 million (EUR 84.8 million) in initiatives aimed at increasing the supply of sustainable tuna, including establishing 11 new fishery improvement projects (FIPs) around the world.

“Tuna is the most readily available source of protein for millions of people around the world, and at least one billion depend on seafood for nourishment or employment. As a leader in the seafood industry, Thai Union has a responsibility to protect tuna stocks for the good of the world,” said Thiraphong Chansiri, CEO of Thai Union Group. “Our substantial investment will transform tuna sourcing for the entire industry and demonstrates our strong commitment to the sustainability of our oceans.”

Thai Union defines sustainably sourced tuna as tuna from fisheries that are either already certified according to the standards of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or are involved in a FIP that is working towards achieving standards required for MSC certification.

“Currently only 11 tuna fisheries globally are MSC-certified, supplying just 14 percent of globally landed tuna. Our commitment and strategy will have a positive impact on the entire industry by significantly increasing the supply of sustainable tuna available to the seafood processors, retailers and, ultimately, consumers,” said Darian McBain, global director for sustainable development at Thai Union.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Leaked WWF report levels harsh criticism of MSC

December 6th, 2016 — A leaked report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) describes “troubling, systemic flaws” within the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification scheme, casting doubt on the integrity of a program trusted by millions of seafood consumers around the world to identify fisheries that are sustainable and well-managed.

The WWF, which helped found MSC 20 years ago, identified a conflict of interest in MSC’s scheme, which charges a licensing fee of 0.5 percent of wholesale value to companies that use its logo to identify their products as originating from an MSC-certified fishery.

“Circumstantial evidence is accumulating that this creates a conflict with MSC’s role as an independent and impartial standard-setting body,” WWF wrote in the report, which was leaked to the Times of London newspaper.

There are now more than 23,000 products with the MSC ecolabel on sale to consumers in nearly 100 countries, according to the MSC. Revenue from licensing fees on those products amounted to GBP 11 million (USD 14 million, EUR 13 million) in revenue in the last fiscal year – approximately 73 percent of the organization’s total income.

MSC has “aggressively pursued global scale growth” and in recent years “has begun to reap very large sums from the fishing industry,” the WWF wrote regarding MSC.

In addition, MSC has used “questionable practices” that have weakened rules meant to prevent overfishing, potentially making it easier for unsustainable fisheries to gain certification, the report noted.

Read the full story at Seafood Source