24/03/2006 - The first
tuna fishery has applied to be assessed under the
Marine Stewardship Council’s program for sustainable
and well-managed fisheries. "Given the strong
consumer preference for tuna we are especially pleased
to see American Albacore Fishing Association entering
the assessment process," explains Jim Humphreys,
Director of the MSC’s Americas office in Seattle.
The California-based fishery brings the number of
fisheries seeking MSC certification to a total of
19. Another 14 have already met the MSC’s environmental
standard and are entitled to use the MSC’s distinctive
blue eco-label for sustainable seafood.
Tuna is one of the top species
requested by European and US consumers and part
of this consumption comes in the form of canned
albacore. American Albacore’s Fishing Associations
fleet represents about 20 per cent of the total
albacore catch in the Pacific and is sold in markets
around the world. This pole & line and troll/jig
fishery harvests albacore using barbless hooks and
the fish are landed one at a time. No nets are used
for harvesting albacore which ensures the fishery
is ‘dolphin free’.
"We are seeking MSC certification
as part of our ongoing commitment to promote the
benefits of using more selective and environmentally
sensitive methods of fishing tuna. It is one thing
to be dolphin free but it is another, complimentary
matter to be certified as sustainable by the MSC",
says Natalie Webster, administrator of the American
Albacore Fishing Association (AAFA). AAFA is a non-profit
corporation formed to represent troll and bait troll
American fishing vessels engaged in the harvest
of albacore tuna.
The American Albacore Fishing
Association is the first tuna fishery to enter the
full assessment stage of the MSC program since the
start of the MSC’s Tuna Outreach Project funded
by Sainsbury’s, one of the UK’s largest retailers.
Funding for the fishery’s assessment is made possible
by contributions from the Resources Legacy Fund
Foundation, the World Wildlife Fund, and others.
"I congratulate AAFA for seeking full MSC assessment
and WWF look forward to collaborating in the process"
says Meredith Lopuch, Director of WWF's Community
Fisheries Program.
The independent evaluation will
be conducted by Moody Marine International. The
experts will examine the status of the albacore
stock, the effect fishing has on the marine environment
and the effectiveness of the fishery management
system. Stakeholders are invited to participate
in the assessment process and can contact Moody
Marine via the MSC. If the fishery is certified
and traceability is established, American Albacore
Fishing Association products will be eligible to
use the distinctive blue MSC eco-label on packaging
which gives consumers a quick and easy way to identify
the best environmental choice in seafood - those
which have not been overfished or harvested in ways
which harm the ocean.
So far, 14 fisheries have been
certified under the MSC program, which has led to
the development of 300 fish and seafood products
bearing the MSC eco-label in 24 countries throughout
the world. With the addition of the American albacore
fishery there are now 19 fisheries in full-assessment
and more than 20 fisheries are in the initial stages
of the process. Together these represent nearly
4 per cent of the global supply of wild captured
fish.
