Saving Seafood

ISSF’s Susan Jackson: Tuna stock-rebuilding efforts are working

November 29, 2021 — Tuna stocks globally are stable, but more needs to be done to improve science-based management at regional fishery management organizations, according to Susan Jackson, the president of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a global coalition of seafood companies, fisheries experts, and scientific and environmental organizations.

The organization, which recently launched iss-foundation.org to showcase its data, has the ultimate goal of helping global tuna fisheries meet sustainability criteria to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council certification. ISSF members include leading tuna firms Bumble Bee, Thai Union, and Starkist, but the organization has no members from China, which is increasingly a key player in tuna fishing, processing, and consumption.

Read the full story at SeafoodSource

 

ISSF appoints Thai Union executive as new board chair

April 20, 2021 — Kevin Bixler, who serves as the global director of group fish procurement for Thai Union Group, has joined the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) as its new board of directors’ chair.

Bixler takes over the role from Bolton Food Director of Sustainable Development Luciano Pirovano, ISSF said. In addition to Bixler’s appointment, ISSF announced that William Gibbons-Fly, the former U.S. Department of State acting deputy assistant secretary for oceans and fisheries, has also joined its board, which is comprised of “a diverse and global group of leaders from non-governmental organizations, marine science, government agencies, and the seafood industry.”

Read the full story at Seafood Source

ISSF Announces First Conservation Measure Addressing Social and Labor Standards

October 29, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) today announced the adoption of a new conservation measure requiring ISSF participating companies to develop and publish a public social and labor standards and/or sourcing policy that applies to the company and its entire supply chain. The measure will be in effect for processors, traders, importers, transporters marketers and others involved in the seafood industry associated with ISSF and includes production facilities and fishing and supply vessels.

“With the announcement of this conservation measure, ISSF is pleased to formalize our commitment to human rights protections in global tuna fisheries, a topic we have increasingly supported as our work toward sustainable fisheries has evolved,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “Conservation Measure 9.1 Public Policy on Social and Labor Standards joins the now dozens of ISSF conservation measures for sustainability best practices. With the majority of the world’s canned tuna processing capacity conforming to these measures — and with major tuna companies being transparently audited against them — we are driving unique and positive change across the world’s tuna fisheries.”

Conservation Measure 9.1 Public Policy on Social and Labor Standards states that processors, traders, importers, transporters, marketers and others involved in the seafood industry shall develop and publish a public social and labor standards policy and/or sourcing policy that applies to it and its supply chain, including production facilities and fishing and supply vessels, that addresses, at a minimum, the following categories:

  • Forced labor
  • Child labor
  • Freedom of association
  • Wages, benefits and employment contracts
  • Working hours
  • Health and safety
  • Discrimination, harassment and abuse
  • Grievance mechanisms

Under the new measure, a company policy will be considered public if it is published on the company’s website or is otherwise available to the general public. The conservation measure will go into effect on January 1, 2021.

About ISSF Conservation Measures & Compliance Process

ISSF is a global partnership among scientists, the tuna industry and the environmental non-governmental community whose mission is to undertake science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health.

Since its inception in 2009, ISSF has adopted conservation measures and commitments to facilitate this mission with the intent that processors, traders, marketers and others involved in the seafood industry will follow them to facilitate real and continuous improvement across global tuna stocks. Each ISSF participating company commits to conform to these conservation measures to improve the long-term health of tuna fisheries. They also must adhere to the ISSA Compliance Policy.

ISSF participating tuna companies, which represent the majority of the world’s canned-tuna production and include well-known brand names, are audited yearly by MRAG Americas on their compliance with ISSF conservation measures.

ISSF Launches Additional Tool for Transparency with New “Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives (VOSI)” List

October 22, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has developed “Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives (VOSI)” — a first-of-its-kind searchable, online list of vessels worldwide that are fishing in a Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified tuna fishery and/or participating in a tuna Fishery Improvement Project (FIP).

“Fishing vessels are on the front lines of our collective work toward sustainable fisheries,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “Our newest vessel list, which requires participating vessels to go through a third-party auditing process, offers more verified transparency when it comes to FIPs and vessels in MSC certified fisheries. Giving the public more information via the VOSI helps to recognize those vessels that are part of the sustainability solution.”

Stakeholders who want to identify vessels that have made sustainability commitments can consult VOSI and download its vessel data to their desktops in a convenient CSV format. VOSI users can search and filter the vessel list and view pop-up profiles for each vessel that include radio call sign, year built, vessel dimensions, and more. Each record in VOSI:

  • Displays a vessel’s Unique Vessel Identifier (UVI) number and UVI type along with vessel flag and vessel type
  • Indicates whether the vessel is listed in the PVR and/or the Record of Large-scale Purse Seine Vessels
  • Links to information about the MSC-certified fishery and/or FIP the vessel is in as shown on the MSC and FisheryProgress.org websites

VOSI — with more than 250 vessels already listed — is the latest ISSF online resource focused on MSC-certified tuna fisheries and tuna FIPs. At its launch, VOSI comprises only large-scale purse-seine vessels.  In the future, vessels of all gear types in MSC-certified tuna fisheries or tuna FIPs will be included and can now apply for listing. Similarly, additional sustainability commitments by vessels beyond FIPs and MSC fisheries may be tracked via VOSI in coming years.

All vessels listed on VOSI are subject to regular third-party audits conducted by MRAG Americas. The audit protocol is available on the ISSF website and was developed in consultation with  MSC and FisheryProgress.org. Vessels interested in applying to be listed in VOSI can access an application form here.

As a transparency tool, VOSI complements ISSF’s other public vessel lists: the ProActive Vessel Register, Record of Large-scale Purse Seine Vessels and the Tuna Vessel IMOs and UVI Numbers. Vessels in VOSI can be cross-listed in the Record and/or apply to be listed in the PVR. Fishing vessels can register on the PVR to show how they are following a suite of science-based best practices that support sustainable tuna fisheries.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) — the world’s leading conservation organization — promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health. Helping global tuna fisheries meet sustainability criteria to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council certification standard — without conditions — is ISSF’s ultimate objective. To learn more, visit iss-foundation.org  and follow ISSF on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

ISSF Adds WWF’s Dr. Vishwanie Maharaj, Noted Fisheries and Seafood Economist, to Environmental Stakeholder Committee

June 25, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) announced today that Dr. Vishwanie Maharaj, the lead for tunas and other multilateral fisheries at World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US), is appointed to its Environmental Stakeholder Committee (ESC).

“Dr. Maharaj is a strong addition to our already deep bench of conservation and scientific experts on the ESC,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “She comes to the committee with more than 20 years of experience navigating the fishery policy issues we deal with every day. Her experience and understanding of Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs) and projects like the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Program (ABNJ) will be indispensable as we continue to push for policies that promote the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks.”

Dr. Vishwanie Maharaj is an economist with more than 20 years of experience working on fishery and environmental policy issues through research and engagement of the seafood industry, regional management bodies and non-governmental organizations. Dr. Maharaj is currently the lead for tunas and other multilateral fisheries at WWF-US. In this capacity, she works in close coordination with global and regional leads on overall tuna policy and with markets teams on engaging major retailers to drive sustainable sourcing of tuna products. Her more recent work focused on engagement in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Bank ABNJ projects, using market incentives to reform Indonesian tuna fisheries and work to address overcapacity and improve business performance in the Eastern Pacific tropical tuna fisheries. Prior to her work at WWF, Dr. Maharaj held senior positions at the Environmental Defense Fund, South Atlantic Fisheries Management Council and a trade association. She holds a doctoral degree in marine resource economics from the University of Rhode Island and an undergraduate degree in oceanography from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom.

About the ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee

The ESC comprises expert representatives from various conservation bodies who volunteer to share their expertise. The ESC, as does ISSF’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), provides advice to the ISSF Board of Directors on issues to consider before taking action on specific sustainability efforts, including regarding ISSF conservation measures.

The ESC Board members are:

  • Sonja Fordham, Shark Advocates International
  • Dr. Eric Gilman, The Nature Conservancy
  • Bill Holden, Chair, ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee | Senior Tuna Fisheries Outreach Manager, Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
  • Jennifer Dianto Kemmerly, Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch
  • Sara Lewis, FishWise
  • Dr. Vishwanie Maharaj, World Wildlife Fund-US
  • Dr. Alexia Morgan, Science Lead for Tuna and Large Pelagic Species, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP)
  • Dr. Tom Pickerell, Global Tuna Alliance

ISSF Adds New Board Member; Two Fisheries Experts Appointed to ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee

May 6, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) announced today recent appointments to its Board of Directors and Environmental Stakeholder Committee.

ISSF’s Environmental Stakeholder Committee (ESC) elected Bill Holden of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) its Chair. In that role, he also joins the ISSF Board of Directors, replacing long-time Board member Dr. Bill Fox, formerly of WWF-US, who recently retired.

“The leadership and expertise displayed by Dr. Bill Fox, both as a member of the ISSF Board and the Environmental Stakeholder Committee, as well as a partner at WWF, has been invaluable,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “We are thankful for Bill’s guidance and commitment to ISSF and our collaborative work toward sustainable tuna fisheries and ocean health.”

In addition, Sara Lewis of FishWise and Dr. Tom Pickerell of the Global Tuna Alliance have joined the ESC.

“It’s always a pleasure to have new experts and advocates join our committees. These additions are serious assets to our conservation initiatives,” Jackson said. “Bill Holden joining the ISSF Board of Directors as Chair of our ESC is notable. It is the result of an enhancement in ISSF governance: the ESC elects its chair and that chairperson is then elevated to an additional leadership role as a member of the ISSF Board. Bill is well suited for this newly expanded role.”

Jackson added, “Sara Lewis’ devotion to transparency and traceability at FishWise makes her an ideal candidate for the ESC. And we welcome Dr. Tom Pickerell’s scientific guidance and collaboration once again as he returns to the ESC in his new role leading the Global Tuna Alliance.”

Dr. Bruce Collette, from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), retired from the ESC in January. He had been with the committee since its inception.

“Dr. Collette worked with ISSF on the ESC since the beginning,” Jackson added. “His fisheries expertise made him an invaluable asset to the committee, where his passion for tuna conservation is dearly missed.”

Read the full release here

ISSF Annual Report Shows 99.1% Participating Company Conformance Rate with Science-based Conservation Measures, Highlights 2019 Efforts for Sustainable Tuna

April 22, 2020 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) released its 2019 annual report today, titled Commitment and Collaboration, which presents tuna-fishery sustainability achievements in the organization’s 10th anniversary year.

“From the beginning, ISSF’s tuna conservation work has required a one-world, one-planet perspective — and a consensus-building approach, as challenging as that is for any complex issue,” explains ISSF President Susan Jackson in the report. “The ISSF team has long appreciated that solving environmental problems means reaching across continents in the spirit of goodwill to share scientific information and resources, learn from each other’s insights and experiences, and make steady progress for the common good.”

Commitment and Collaboration focuses on ISSF’s collaborations to identify and promote “best practices” in tuna and ocean conservation with fishers, tuna companies, retailers, and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). The report also covers ISSF’s activities with environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), scientific agencies and more.

The interactive annual report, which includes video content and downloadable graphics, offers special features on:

Read the full release here

International Seafood Sustainability Foundation Announces New Conservation Measure to Bolster Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) Management across Global Tuna Fisheries

November 12, 2019 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) today announced the adoption of a new conservation measure requiring that fishing vessels have publicly available fish aggregation device (FAD) management policies to comply with ISSF supply-chain recommendations for marine ecosystem health. These policies must be in line with science-based best practices outlined in ISSF’s report, “Recommended Best Practices for FAD Management in Tropical Tuna Purse Seine Fisheries.”

“Since ISSF’s founding 10 years ago, we’ve prioritized better management of FADs and the reduction of bycatch and other marine ecosystem impacts across all oceans,” explains ISSF President Susan Jackson. “This new conservation measure gives leading seafood companies a clear framework, based on years of scientific research, in sourcing tuna from vessels that are following best practices in designing, deploying, and recovering FADs – and also in reporting FAD data to Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs).”

ISSF Conservation Measure 3.7 Transactions with Vessels or Companies with Vessel-based FAD Management Policies, approved by the ISSF Board of Directors to take effect in 2021, states that ISSF participating companies shall conduct transactions only with those purse seine vessels whose owners develop and make public FAD management policies that include the activities purse seine and supply vessels are undertaking (if any) on the following elements:

  • Comply with flag state and RFMO reporting requirements for fisheries statistics by set type
  • Voluntarily report additional FAD buoy data for use by RFMO science bodies
  • Support science-based limits on the overall number of FADs used per vessel and/or FAD sets made
  • Use only non-entangling FADs to reduce ghost fishing
  • Mitigate other environmental impacts due to FAD loss including through the use of biodegradable FADs and FAD recovery policies
  • For silky sharks (the main bycatch issue in FAD sets), implement further mitigation efforts

Helping global tuna fisheries become capable of achieving Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification without conditions has long been an ISSF objective, and improved FAD management is an important component of meeting the MSC standard. Conservation Measure 3.7 is ISSF’s second measure focused on FADs specifically, and its tenth measure focused on bycatch mitigation in tuna fisheries.

For full details on Conservation Measure 3.7, read the complete text here: https://iss-foundation.org/what-we-do/verification/conservation-measures-commitments/bycatch-mitigation-3-7-transactions-with-vessels-or-companies-with-vessel-based-fad-management-policies/

Supply Chain Conservation Measure Expanded to include FisheryProgress.org and MSC-certified Fisheries

ISSF conservation measures directly affect how 26 global seafood companies that are ISSF participating companies environmentally manage their respective tuna supply chains.

To support ISSF participating companies in sourcing sustainable tuna from processors and vessels and achieving greater supply-chain transparency, the ISSF Board has amended Conservation Measure 2.4 Supply Chain Transparency, Audit, Reporting and Purchase Requirements.

In addition to purchasing tuna from Supplier Source categories — peer ISSF participating companies, ISSF Data Check companies, direct from vessels — ISSF participating companies now can source tuna from an expanded array of sources represented by these Fishery Source categories:

By January 31, 2020, and annually thereafter, to comply with measure 2.4, participating companies must publicly report the percentage of tuna sourced from the Supplier Source and/or Fishery Source categories.

The complete measure is available here: https://iss-foundation.org/what-we-do/verification/conservation-measures-commitments/traceability-data-collection-2-4-supply-chain-transparency-audit-reporting-and-purchase-requirements/.

ISSF provides application forms for companies interested in becoming a participating company or Data Check company, including Terms and Conditions for Data Check Companies.

Improved Monitoring, Reduced Fishing Pressure and Strengthened FAD Management Needed for Sustainable Eastern Pacific Ocean Tuna Fisheries

July 22, 2019 — The following was released by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation:

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) released its position statement in for the 94th Meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in Bilbao, Spain, from July 22-26, 2019.

“The Commission took some important steps last year, including the adoption of a technical definition for non-entangling FAD designs, a binding measure on safety at sea for human observers and to require International Maritime Organization (IMO) numbers on all fishing vessels greater than 12m,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “However there were many important issues left unresolved and these must be urgently addressed this year.”

As top priorities, ISSF urges IATTC to:

  1. Develop a set of options to limit fishing pressure by the purse seine fleet, such as limiting fish aggregating device (FAD) deployments, further limiting the number of active FADs per vessel, and/or limiting the number of all set types.
  2. Strengthen FAD management through science-based measures, including a transition to FADs that do not use nets, and to encouraging the provision of echo-sounder data for scientific purposes.
  3. Fund knowledge-sharing, capacity-building and communication of scientific advice, including the establishment of a scientist-manager dialogue process and the development of harvest strategies for all key tuna species.
  4. Require 100% observer coverage (human or electronic) for longline vessels, small class purse seine vessels and all vessels engaged in at-sea transshipment within five years, and develop minimum electronic monitoring and reporting standards.
  5. Adopt measures to mitigate the incidental catch and maximize post-release survival of sharks, mobulid rays and sea turtles, and require all sharks be landed with fins naturally attached.
  6. Strengthen the IATTC compliance assessment process.

Access the full position statement to review detailed ISSF recommendations.

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.