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Sharing Best-Practice: IPNLF & ISSF Launch First Practical Reference Guide for Pole-and-Line Fishing

A new guidebook detailing science-based best-practices for maximising catch value and also minimising the environmental impacts of these fisheries is today jointly published by and the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF) and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

The Skippers’ Guidebook to Pole-and-Line Fishing Best Practices has been written by fishers, marine scientists and pole-and-line experts. Aimed at one-by-one fishers and fishery stakeholders, the Guidebook offers practical advice on conducting these artisanal tuna fishing operations — from capture to handling and storage methods.

ISSF and @IPNLF have teamed up to produce their first #sustainability guidebook for #pole and #line #fishers. Share on X

As highlighted in the Guidebook, pole-and-line fishing has gained attention as a responsible method of harvesting tuna. With the growing consumer awareness about the sustainability of seafood resources, this Guidebook is well placed to provide a resource for fishers globally to optimise the efficiency of their operations, maximise catch quality and recognise and address the environmental impacts of their activities in order to reach the increasing demand for pole-and-line caught products.

Topics covered by the guidebook include:

  • Tuna species targeted by pole-and-line fisheries
  • Fishing operations in pole-and-line tuna fishing
  • Tuna catch handling and storage
  • Baitfish catch methods, management, and utilisation in pole-and-line fisheries

The chapters include a comprehensive series of examples and recommendations to help pole-and-line fishers understand and implement best-practise guidance.

Dr. Victor Restrepo, Vice President of Science at ISSF, says: “ISSF is committed to the long-term conservation and sustainable use of global tuna fisheries. That commitment drives the publication of the ISSF Skippers Guidebook series for longline and purse seine vessel fishers, as well as our observer guidebook — sharing best practices with those stakeholders on the front lines of the collaborative work toward sustainable fisheries. Having expert advisors on our respective science committees in common, ISSF is pleased to partner with the International Pole and Line Foundation in expanding such science-based guidance to the pole-and-line sector.”

Martin Purves, Managing Director of IPNLF, adds: “We believe the Skippers’ Guidebook will prove an important, practical resource not only for the many thousands of pole-and-line fishers around the world, but also for all those many more people connected to these supply chains. The profile of pole-and-line fishing has reached new levels, not only due to the low environmental impacts of these fisheries, but increasingly also because of the social benefits that they bring to the coastal communities connected to them. Like any catch method there is significant scope for further improvements in the sustainability aspects of these fisheries, providing markets with higher quality, more responsibly sourced tuna. There’s no question that this is what today’s consumers are looking for.”

The Skippers’ Guidebook to Pole-and-Line Fishing Best Practices is available online on the ISSF and IPNLF websites.

http://ipnlf.org/resources/ipnlf-documents/document/pole-line-skippers-guidebook

https://www.iss-foundation.org/download-monitor-demo/download-info/issf-ipnlf-skippers-guidebook-to-pole-and-line-fishing-best-practices/

    

About the International Pole & Line Foundation
The International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF) works to develop, support and promote socially and environmentally responsible pole-and-line, handline and troll tuna fisheries around the world. IPNLF’s ambition is to contribute to thriving coastal fisheries, including the people, communities, businesses and seas connected with them.  As a hub for sustainably-minded organisations, we use the influence of the market to forge change through practical fishery projects and stakeholder cooperation. IPNLF membership is open to organisations involved in the one-by-one caught tuna supply chain. Allied with our Members, IPNLF demonstrates the value of one-by-one caught tuna to consumers, policymakers and throughout the supply chain. We work across science, policy and the seafood sector, using an evidence-based, solutions-focused approach with guidance from our Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee and Board of Trustees.

IPNLF was officially registered in the United Kingdom in 2012 (Charity 1145586), with branch offices in London, the Maldives, Indonesia, and South Africa and a staff presence in France, Germany, Netherlands, North America and St Helena.

 

International Seafood Sustainability Foundation Brings on Marine Research Expert as Senior Scientist

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is pleased to announce the addition of Hilario Murua, Ph.D., to its science staff in the position of Senior Scientist. Dr. Murua will work with an international team of scientists facilitating the long-term sustainable use of global tuna fisheries, including work on tuna conservation, stock status, bycatch mitigation and capacity management.

ISSF is honored to welcome #fisheries expert Dr. Hilario Murua to its international #science team. Share on X

“Hilario’s experience at a leading marine research organization, his management history at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) and International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and his impressive record of scientific publications make him an invaluable addition to the ISSF team,” said Vice President of Science at ISSF Dr. Victor Restrepo. “We’re thrilled to bring such an esteemed scientist on board, and I look forward to working with Hilario.”

Dr. Hilario Murua previously served as Principal Investigator in the Marine Research Division at AZTI. He has more than 20 years’ experience working on fish population dynamics, assessment and management. Dr. Murua also has deep experience with Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), having chaired the IOTC Scientific Committee and served as Rapporteur for the Bigeye Species Group at ICCAT in 2015–2018.

He served as chairman of the Standing Committee on Fisheries Science (STACFIS) of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and as a member of the NAFO Scientific Council from 1999–2006. He also was a member of the ICES Arctic Fisheries Working Group from 1999–2006, and a member of the European Commission’s Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) in 2010–2019.

Dr. Murua regularly supervises master’s-degree and Ph.D. students and has published more than 75 peer-reviewed papers, co-edited three special fishery journal volumes, and contributed over 150 working documents in various RFMOs. Dr. Murua has an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology from Universidad de La Laguna and a doctorate in Biological Science from Universidad del Pais Vasco, both in Spain.

 

Tuna Experts Mark 10 Years of Collaboration, Come Together for Workshop on Mitigation of Environmental Impacts of Tropical Tuna Purse Seine Fisheries

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) and the Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project co-sponsored the Mitigating Environmental Impacts of Tropical Tuna Purse Seine Fisheries workshop, held at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) Headquarters in Rome, on 12-13 March 2019. The workshop reviewed the progress cross-sector research and advocacy efforts have made in reducing bycatch and other environmental impacts and also identified main focus areas for future activities.

Workshop sessions focused on: (1) bycatch of the tuna purse seine fishery; (2) sharks and rays; (3) small bigeye and yellowfin tuna; (4) fish aggregating device (FAD) structure impacts; (5) FAD management; and (6) looking ahead: the next 10 years. Each session comprised an expert presentation followed by a discussion panel including representatives from across the multi-sector workshop participants. The newly released report detailing the six sessions is now available for download. The report also offers data-rich presentations for each session.

Download the presentations and report from our workshop with #CommonOceans on mitigating #bycatch in tropical #tuna #purse #seine #fisheries. Share on X

“By bringing together leading scientists, NGO representatives and members of the commercial fishing industry, the International Workshop in Rome and its report provide a full picture of where we stand after ten years of work on mitigating environmental impacts of tuna fishing,” said ISSF VP of Science Victor Restrepo. “Synthesizing different viewpoints and areas of expertise on these issues will continue to serve us well in targeting specific areas of focus for future research and advocacy efforts.”

For the last ten years, ISSF has been conducting research and advocacy activities on mitigating environmental impacts of purse seine fisheries, with emphasis on bycatch and FADs. These include at-sea research, interactive workshops with vessel skippers, and advocacy for Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). The presentations and discussions outlined in the report are based primarily on those years of research.

“The Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project has been working with ISSF for the last five years on the work they embarked on a decade ago,” said Global Project Coordinator from FAO Alejandro Anganuzzi. “Our recent workshop brought together a diverse set of stakeholders, and brought forth engaging discussions with meaningful outcomes that will help guide our future collaboration with ISSF.”

Conclusions reached in each session presentation as noted in the report include:

SESSION 1 – Bycatch of the tuna purse seine fishery

Overall rates of bycatch in tropical tuna purse seine fisheries are very small.

SESSION 2 – Sharks and rays

Shark bycatch is very low, less than 0.5% by weight. Still, some shark species are vulnerable or at-risk, and the purse seine fishery should strive to mitigate this bycatch.

SESSION 3 – Small bigeye and yellowfin tunas

Catching juvenile bigeye and yellowfin does not necessarily cause overfishing. Overfishing can occur by catching too many small fish, too many large fish, or too many of both.

SESSION 4 – FAD structure impacts

Currently, except for the satellite buoy, biodegradable FADs should be made of only natural fibers/materials that are sustainably harvested until other materials such as synthetic bio-materials become available and are proven to be non-toxic for the marine environment.

SESSION 5 – FAD management

The purse seine fishery needs to be managed holistically. Too much focus on FAD sets detracts from other important issues.

SESSION 6 – Looking ahead: The next 10 years

There is a need for more fundamental and applied research.

The Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project, funded by the Global Environmental Facility and implemented by FAO, harnesses the efforts of a large and diverse array of partners, including the five tuna RFMOs, governments, inter-governmental organizations, NGOs and the private sector, to achieve responsible, efficient and sustainable tuna production and biodiversity conservation in the areas beyond national jurisdiction.

ISSF is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund, 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. In 2019, ISSF celebrated a “Decade of Discovery” as the organization completed its tenth year of scientific research, advocacy and industry engagement. To learn more, visit https://www.iss-foundation.org/, and follow ISSF on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Alejandro Anganuzzi, Global Coordinator, Common Oceans ABNJ Tuna Project, FAO | [email protected]

Ms. Mary Sestric, Vice President, Communications, ISSF | [email protected]

ISSF Participating Tuna Company Compliance Report Shows 98.5 Percent Conformance with Foundation Conservation Measures

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has released its ISSF Annual Conservation Measures & Commitments Compliance Report, which shows a 98.5 percent conformance rate by 25 ISSF participating companies with all 27 ISSF conservation measures in effect in 2018, the audit period. Many of the world’s largest tuna processing companies participate in ISSF.

As part of its commitment to transparency and accountability, ISSF engages third-party auditor MRAG Americas to continuously assess ISSF participating companies’ compliance with ISSF’s conservation measures according to a rigorous audit protocol.

“It is encouraging to see the independent audit process continue to show high conformance among our Participating Companies,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “As we celebrate our organization’s 10th anniversary, these are the metrics that make a difference. Particularly in the last three years, our industry participants have collectively scored high marks on a consistent basis, meaning they’re taking seriously the science-based measures we’ve developed.”

ISSF participating #companies achieved 98.5% conformance in 2018 with our #conservation measures: Read our new #compliance report. Share on X

The April 2019 annual compliance report is based on participating company activity for 2018. ISSF publishes this annual compliance report with initial audit results in the second quarter each year; in November, ISSF publishes an updated report to show any remediation of non-conformances previously reported.

The April 2019 report shows that:

  • 17 companies were in conformance with all 27 measures in effect during the 2018 reporting period.
  • 8 companies had at least one minor non-conformance, for a total of 9 instances of minor non-conformance. These typically involved instances where companies achieved some, but not full, compliance with a given conservation measure.
  • 1 company had one major non-conformance. As defined by MRAG Americas, a “major non-conformance” means a company does not comply with a particular conservation measure or commitment, and this compromises the integrity of ISSF initiatives.

ISSF conservation measures where companies achieved 100 percent conformance include: 2.1 Product Traceability; 3.1(b) Prohibition of Transactions with Shark Finning Policies; 3.4 Skipper Best Practices; 3.5 Transactions with Vessels that Use Non-entangling FADs; and 5.2 IUU Product Response.  Areas for improvement include data submission to RFMOs, observer coverage on tuna vessels, and IMO Unique Vessel Identifiers.

The rate of full conformance had been mostly steady in each annual reporting period, as shown across the below compliance report publication dates. The April 2019 report audited companies against five new Conservation Measures that were not in effect during previous reporting periods.

  • June 2015: 79.8 percent
  • June 2016: 87.2 percent
  • November 2016: 95.6 percent
  • May 2017: 97.5 percent
  • November 2017: 100 percent
  • June 2018: 97 percent
  • November 2018: 99 percent
  • April 2019: 98.5 percent

The five new measures for which ISSF Participating companies were first evaluated during the 2018 audit period are as follows:

Measure 2.3 Product Labeling by Species and Ocean of Capture: On all product labeling, or through a publicly available web-based system by product, for all branded tuna products:

  1. Identify the species of tuna contained in the product.
  2. Identify the ocean of capture for the tuna contained in the product.

Measure 3.6 Transactions with Vessels Implementing Best practices for Sharks and Sea Turtles: Transactions only with those longline vessels whose owners have a policy requiring the implementation of best practices for sharks and marine turtles.

Measure 4.4 (C) Transshipment at Sea – Observer Coverage (Large Scale Longline): Transactions with longline vessels that conduct transshipments at sea, whether high seas, EEZ, territorial seas or archipelagic waters, only if 100% of such transshipments are observed.

Measure 7.2 Threshold Requirement for PVR Listing: All large-scale purse seine vessels owned by the same business organization shall be in demonstrated compliance with, or otherwise exempted from, Section 6 —Capacity.

Measure 7.4 Supply and Tender Vessels: For controlled supply or tender vessels that operate with purse seine vessels:
(a) register all vessels on the PVR and maintain registration indefinitely;
(b) ensure all are listed on the authorized vessel record of any RFMO governing the ocean area in which the tuna was caught;
(c) ensure all have an IMO unique vessel identifier; and
(d) ensure all are not listed on the IUU Vessel List of any RFMO.

In addition to the annual compliance reports, MRAG Americas issues individual ISSF participating company reports, published on the ISSF site, detailing each company’s level of compliance with conservation measures. Under the compliance policy, companies may be required to remediate non-conformances found during the annual audit, and MRAG will immediately issue reports for those companies that do so.

More on ISSF Conservation Measures & Compliance

For long-term tuna sustainability, a number of tuna companies worldwide are choosing to participate with ISSF, follow responsible fishing practices, and implement science-based conservation measures. From bycatch mitigation to product traceability, ISSF participating companies have committed to conforming to a set of conservation measures and other commitments designed to drive positive change — and to do so transparently through third-party audits.

ISSF Conservation Measures

ISSA Compliance Policy