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86% of Global Tuna Catch Continues to Come from Stocks at Healthy Levels, But Some Stocks Remain Overfished

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

Of the total tuna catch, 86% came from stocks at “healthy” levels — an unchanged share since last reported in October 2018 — according to the March 2019 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. Skipjack tuna stocks — which remain at healthy levels in all ocean regions — still comprise over one-half of the total catch.

ISSF publishes its signature Status of the Stocks report at least twice each year using the most current scientific data on major commercial tuna stocks.

In 2017, 58% of the #tuna catch was #skipjack, 28% was #yellowfin, 8% #bigeye, 5% #albacore, and 1% #bluefin. #StatusoftheStocks Click To Tweet

The fishing mortality rating was changed for two stocks since the previous report: The Fishing Mortality rating for both Mediterranean albacore and Western Pacific yellowfin was modified from “yellow” to “green.” The ISSF Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) determined that this change was needed to harmonize those ratings and the report’s ratings methodology.

Though many of the recent broad indicators of overall global tuna stock health are positive, there are several stocks of concern that should be noted:

  • The Indian Ocean yellowfin stock has again been rated both as overfished and as suffering overfishing after a new stock assessment presented by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Scientific Committee in late 2018.
  • Similarly, the Pacific Ocean bluefin stock is also considered to be overfished, and overfishing of this stock continues.
  • Eastern Pacific bigeye is experiencing overfishing. Fishing mortality for this species is high.
  • Two consecutive assessments have concluded that Atlantic Ocean bigeye is overfished and that overfishing is still occurring.

Key Statistics in the Report

  • Total catch: In 2017, as reported in the new report, the total major commercial tuna catch was 4.8 million tonnes. More than half of the total catch (58%) was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (28%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (5%). Bluefin tunas (3 species) accounted for only 1% of the global catch. These percentages changed only slightly from the October 2018 Status of the Stocks report.
  • Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 65% of the 23 stocks are at a healthy level of abundance, 13% are overfished and 22% are at an intermediate level. In terms of total catch, 86% come from healthy stocks, 10% from overfished stocks and 4% from stocks at an intermediate level. Unchanged from the last report, the stocks receiving orange scores — indicating overfished status — were Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Pacific Ocean bluefin and Indian Ocean yellowfin.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 78% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate, 18% are experiencing overfishing, and 4% have a high fishing mortality rate.
  • Largest tuna catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes, unchanged since the previous report, are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack.
  • Tuna production by ocean region: More than half (52%) of the world’s tuna is harvested from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, followed by the Indian Ocean (20%), Eastern Pacific Ocean (13%) and Atlantic Ocean (11%). Catch from Pacific-wide stocks accounts for around 3% of the global catch, while catch in the Southern Hemisphere accounts for less than 1%.
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 65% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (11%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (4%) and miscellaneous gears (12%). These percentages have changed only slightly since the October report.

About the Report

There are 23 stocks of major commercial tuna species worldwide — 6 albacore, 4 bigeye, 4 bluefin, 5 skipjack, and 4 yellowfin stocks. The Status of the Stocks summarizes the results of the most recent scientific assessments of these stocks, as well as the current management measures adopted by the RFMOs. Updated several times per year, Status of the Stocks assigns color ratings (green, yellow or orange) using a consistent methodology based on three factors: Abundance, Exploitation/Management (fishing mortality) and Environmental Impact (bycatch).

ISSF produces two reports annually that seek to provide clarity about where we stand — and how much more needs to be done — to ensure the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks: the Status of the Stocks provides a comprehensive analysis of tuna stocks by species, and the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Criteria provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on MSC assessment criteria. The MSC-certified fisheries list (Appendix 2) in Status of the Stocks complements the Evaluation report. Together, these tools help to define the continuous improvement achieved, as well as the areas and issues that require more attention.

In addition, ISSF maintains a data-visualization tool based on its Status of the Stocks report. The “Status of the Stocks Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna stock health indicators and filter by location, species and other key stock health and catch factors.

ISSF Sponsors Global Contest to Reward Marine Science Scholars’ Innovative Ideas for Sustainable Tuna Fishing

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

March 10, 2020 update: We’ve awarded the contest prizes. Read our press release and blog post, and watch our video interview with the Grand Prize winner.

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.

Up-and-coming #marine #scientists with innovative #conservation ideas are invited to participate in the ISSF Seafood #Sustainability #Contest. #DecadeOfDiscovery Click To Tweet

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.”

Conservation Topics for Contest Entries

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 from academia and the fishing industry will determine the winners based on the originality of the idea, conservation impact, impact on skipjack catches, degree to which idea has been tested, 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 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 at-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 global Skippers 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.

 

ISSF Report Shows Many Tuna Stocks Not Meeting Criteria for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Sustainability Standard

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

Only five out of 19 major commercial tuna stocks are being managed to avoid overfishing and restore depleted fish populations — and have earned a passing score for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Principle 1 — according to independent scientists in a report published by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

ISSF 2019-02: An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council Criteria attributes this failure to poor stock status, the lack of well-defined harvest control rules (HCRs), and the lack of effective tools to control harvest. Only three of the stocks have well-defined harvest control rules from Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), which continue progressing slowly in this area.

Only 5 of 19 commercial #tuna stocks receive a passing score on @MSCecolabel Principle 1 (stock status). Click To Tweet

The January 2018 version of the report had found that six out of 19 stocks were being managed to avoid overfishing, meaning the situation has not improved in the last year. While South Pacific albacore Principle 1 score has improved thanks to further progress by WCPFC on this stock’s harvest strategy workplan, two other stocks have seen their overall Principle 1 scores worsen: eastern Pacific bigeye due mostly to uncertainties in its latest stock assessment, and Atlantic yellowfin tuna due to weak tools in place to control exploitation that may be hindering its rebuilding plan.

About the Report

An Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks takes a consistent, comprehensive approach to scoring tuna stocks against certain components of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard. The MSC is a global certification program for fisheries.

The report — updated four times since first published in 2013, and organized by individual tuna stock and tuna RFMO — is designed to:

  • Provide a basis for comparing between stock scores and tuna RFMO 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).
  • Prioritize ISSF projects and advocacy efforts against initiatives that will improve low performance indicator scores.

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

The report does not address bluefin tuna stocks.

MSC Principle 1

The MSC Principle 1 states: “A fishery must operate in a manner that does not lead to overfishing 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.”

Regarding stocks receiving passing scores:

  • Among seven tuna stocks in the Atlantic Ocean, one received an overall principle-level passing score: Northern albacore.
  • Among eight tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean, three received overall principle-level passing scores: Western skipjack, Eastern yellowfin and Southern albacore.
  • Among four stocks in the Indian Ocean, one received an overall principle-level passing score: skipjack.

Regarding stocks receiving failing scores:

  • In the Pacific, five stocks received overall principle-level failing scores: Western yellowfin, Northern albacore, Eastern bigeye, Eastern skipjack and Western bigeye.
  • In the Indian Ocean, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore all received overall principle-level failing scores.
  • In the Atlantic, yellowfin, bigeye, Western skipjack, Eastern skipjack, Southern albacore and Mediterranean albacore all received principle-level failing scores.
  • Stocks that require rebuilding include Atlantic yellowfin, Atlantic bigeye and Indian Ocean yellowfin.

See a graphic showing MSC Principle 1 averages from February 2013-January 2019.

MSC Principle 3

The MSC Principle 3 states: “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.”

  • One RFMO —IATTC — received passing scores for all seven performance indicators under Principle 3.
  • All four RFMOs received overall principle-level passing scores from the authors.

See a graphic showing MSC Principle 3 averages from December 2013-January 2019.

While the 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’s strategic objective is 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.

2018 A Record Breaking Year for ISSF Skippers Workshops

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

By Dr. Jefferson Murua

Dr. Jefferson Murua works in the Marine Research Division of AZTI, a non-profit foundation committed to the social and economic development of the marine environment and food sector. Dr. Murua also conducts educational workshops and research on behalf of ISSF.

Another round of Skippers Workshops came to an end in 2018. This was the ninth consecutive year running, with almost 700 participants in 2018, reaching a total of 3675. Most of the participants are tuna purse seine fishers.

Workshop Photo Gallery

Click on an image to expand it and see a caption. You also can view the photos as a slideshow.

  • yaizu-japan

    Participants at the Yaizu (Japan) 2018 ISSF Skippers Workshop

  • manta-ecuador

    Record number of participants (135) in a single workshop at Manta (Ecuador)

  • lima-peru-1

    Participants at the Lima (Peru) 2018 ISSF Skippers Workshop

  • ghana

    Skippers at the Ghana workshop explaining the types of FADs they use

  • train-the-trainer

    Train-the-trainer program Skippers Workshop at port of Prigi (Indonesia)

  • bermeo-spain

    Small-group workshop at Bermeo (Spain) 2018

  • 20180611_senegal-taller-dia1_0299-copia-1

    ISSF Skippers Workshop in Dakar (Senegal)

  • concerneau-france

    Fishers and scientists exchanging ideas at the workshop in Concarneau (France)

  • yaizu-japan-vessel-visit

    ISSF scientists visiting PS boats at port of Yaizu (Japan)

Reaching New Fleets

In this round we visited 15 locations spread across Africa, Europe, America and Asia. The workshops continue to expand to more tuna fleets, and this year we went for the first time to Dakar in Senegal and Yaizu in Japan.

We also beat our record for most participants in a single workshop, with 135 attendants in the Manta, Ecuador, workshop. Other workshops targeted smaller groups, such as those in Bermeo, Spain, where scientists had meetings with fishers company by company, to allow for the flow of information in a more familiar setting.  

These workshops use a cooperative approach in which scientists pass on information to fishers about the latest results in bycatch mitigation practices and fishers provide feedback on novel ideas to reduce bycatch and developments in fishing practices with FADs.

Biodegradable Non-Entangling FADs

In this series of workshops, a principal objective was to advance towards the use of biodegradable non-entangling FADs (BNEFADs). Fishers agreed that minimizing FAD-derived marine pollution is an important issue and were proactive about testing biodegradable materials.

Large-scale trials for FADs built with natural biodegradable materials (e.g., cotton, bamboo) are underway in the Indian Ocean, and skippers from that region provided feedback about their experience with these experiments. Further large-scale BNEFAD trials are planned for the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Oceans this year.

Best Practices for Bycatch Release

Another theme discussed during workshops in 2018 was best practices to release bycatch from the fishing vessel deck. Fishers shared that there is a need to develop better release equipment to facilitate safe handling of large animals like sharks and manta rays.

One such tool is the hopper, a large tray that is used by some vessels to sort out the catch more efficiently. Fishers using the hopper thought it was very useful and encouraged other boats to start utilizing them, too.

For small- and medium-scale purse seine vessels, these options are not viable, and other solutions need to be tailored for their kind of boats. This is the case for example with the Indonesian fleet, where most vessels are under 100 GT. In 2018, the train-the-trainer program, through which trained Indonesian scientists conduct workshops in ports spread across the Indonesian archipelago, continued in operation with workshops in ports like Bitung, Prigi and Pekalongan. 

In 2019, we have just started a new round of workshops and plan to continue engaging with fishers from all over the world to improve the sustainability of tuna fisheries. Fishers must remain involved in developing bycatch solutions and best practices because they are the principal actors in the fishery.

For more on the ISSF Skippers Workshops in 2018, read the technical report ISSF 2019-01: ISSF Skippers Workshops Round 8. 

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ISSF, Pew Charitable Trusts, and BirdLife International Host Joint Side Event at WCPFC Annual Meeting

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), the Pew Charitable Trusts and BirdLife International co-hosted a side event on the occasion of the 15th Meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The event, held yesterday on the first day of the commission meeting, focused on priority topics facing managers of the world’s largest tuna fishing grounds: the regulation of at-sea transshipment; monitoring compliance with rules for reducing bird bycatch in longline fisheries; and the management of fish aggregating devices (FADs).

ISSF, @PewTrusts & @BirdLife_News co-hosted a #WCPFC side event on #transshipment, #seabird bycatch & #FAD research. Click To Tweet

Event Presentations

Tuna fisheries science and policy experts from each of the three event sponsors presented data and insights, before taking questions from an audience of WCPFC meeting attendees:

Jamie Gibbon, Associate Manager of Global Tuna Conservation at the Pew Charitable Trusts, presented a set of best practices for well-managed at-sea transshipment (the movement of fish from a fishing vessel to a refrigerated carrier vessel or “reefer” while at sea) that have been agreed to by leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of the NGO Tuna Forum.

At-sea transshipment has continued to grow as a practice in the WCPO and other oceans, and yet monitoring and data reporting of this at-sea practice remains inadequate. A report presented to this year’s Technical and Compliance Committee (TCC) meeting indicates that a number of WCFPC member countries are failing to meet the WCPFC-mandated reporting deadlines and other rules governing at-sea transshipment.

Karen Baird, Birdlife International Marine Programme’s Pacific Coordinator, spoke on tools for monitoring compliance with WCFPC rules for reducing seabird bycatch in longline fisheries. Specifically, Ms. Baird presented the results of the first independent assessment of night setting — a practice where longline vessels make sets during the hours of darkness, between nautical dusk and dawn, so as to avoid periods when seabirds are actively foraging — using data from Global Fishing Watch.

BirdLife International and Global Fishing Watch analysed over 60,000 sets from 300 vessels. The project’s goal was to assess if vessels are using the night-setting option of RFMO seabird bycatch regulations.

Holly Koehler, Vice President, Policy and Outreach at ISSF, presented research on the latest ISSF-supported FAD research in collaboration with industry partners, including on biodegradable FADs.The WCPFC Commission and the region’s coastal States, where FAD sets account for about 30 percent of tropical tuna catches, currently have some measures in place to regulate the use of FADs, as well as requirements for at-sea transshipment, Koehler said. But the Commission has yet to adopt binding regulations for the use of non-entangling or lower entangling FAD designs.

Given the risk of ecosystem impacts from FADs — including beaching, marine debris, and mortality of sharks and turtles — it is essential to require the use of lower-entangling FAD designs and to take steps toward requiring fully non-entangling FAD designs and biodegradable FADs. Ms. Koehler shared that, based on preliminary analyses of tracking data from FAD buoys by Parties to the Nauru Agreement, in recent years an estimated 25 percent of FADs drifted out of main fishing areas and a minimum of 5 percent were beached.

Learn more about ISSF’s priorities for the 2018 WCPFC meeting by reviewing the ISSF position statement here: https://www.iss-foundation.org/what-we-do/influence/position-statements/download-info/2018-wcpfc-position-statement/

ISSF Launches Interactive Online Resource for Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs)

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) has launched its FIP Resources Finder, an online tool for fisheries that matches more than 200 ISSF reports, guidebooks, and other resources to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Principles and Performance Indicators (PIs).

The Finder is designed for tuna fishery improvement projects (FIPs) seeking information and support to address issues in fisheries, earn passing scores on MSC Pis, achieve MSC fishery certification and ultimately to close conditions in a certified fishery. A fishery improvement project is a multi-stakeholder effort to address environmental challenges in a fishery. The ISSF tool is also designed for use by fisheries undergoing pre-assessments against the MSC Fisheries Standard. 

We've launched an online tool especially for #fisheries pursuing @MSCecolabel #certification -- the #FIP Resources Finder. Click To Tweet

MSC certification is a science-based global standard in sustainable fishing based on three Principles — Sustainable fish stocks (Principle 1), Minimizing environmental impacts (Principle 2), and Effective Management (Principle 3) — incorporating 28 Performance Indicators. Helping all tuna fisheries to become capable of realizing MSC’s certification standards “without conditions” is ISSF’s long-time guiding objective, and assisting FIPs is a core element of ISSF’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.  ISSF is the only NGO worldwide focused primarily on tuna-fishery sustainability.

How to Use the Finder

ISSF’s online resources and technical services can help FIPs improve performance on specific MSC Principles and Performance Indicators as they seek fishery certification. The FIP Resources Finder gives fishery stakeholders two ways to find helpful tools:

  • Select an MSC PI of interest, and then view a curated list of ISSF resources that support improvement on that PI.
  • Peruse a master list of the 200+ resources in the Finder by name and other characteristics.

In both the master and individual PI lists, the most important resources are “featured” in yellow at the top. Lists can be searched by keyword, and resources can by filtered by:

  • Resource type, such as Advocacy materials, Guidebooks, or Skippers Workshops
  • Topic, including bycatch, FADs, Supply Vessels, or Transshipment
  • Use, such as during preassessment, within a FIP, or both
  • Fishery gear type, including Gillnet, Longline, Purse Seine, and/or Pole and Line

All online resources in the Finder are linked to Webpages or PDFs, and email and social-network links at the top of each list make it easy to share resource information with FIP colleagues and other stakeholders.

ISSF also offers a FIP Support Form for requesting ISSF to provide technical services to a FIP — such as consultations, specific workshops, or asking fishery-improvement questions.

“ISSF tools and resources have always been complementary to FIPs, but our new FIP Resources Finder is one significant step of many in our effort to aid FIPs more directly in reaching their individual objectives,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “ISSF’s ultimate objective is to improve the sustainability of global tuna stocks, and one key component of that is to support fisheries in crossing the finish line for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification. FIPs are part of our long-term strategy, and we’re excited to work more directly with them.”

Engaging with FIPs

ISSF engages with FIPs in many ways, as outlined in ISSF’s Strategic Plan, Advancing Sustainable Tuna Fisheries:

  • Provide science-based guidance and advocacy support as a stakeholder in FIPs that seek to achieve MSC certification standards
  • Provide support and tools to tuna fisheries that are MSC-certified with conditions so they may close those conditions
  • Provide FIPs that seek to meet MSC certification standards with science-based guidance, data and tools, as well as advocacy support at the RFMO and national levels, to support the implementation of FIP work plans
  • Make available ISSF verification tools to all tuna fisheries, including tools for participating company traceability and vessel best practices, so they may transparently demonstrate progress

To learn more about FIPs and ISSF’s work with tuna fisheries, explore the Fisheries Improvement section of the ISSF Website.

Pacific Tuna Managers: Time to Adopt Stronger FAD Management and At-Sea Transshipment Regulations

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

By Claire van der Geest and Bubba Cook

The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) is in an enviable position. All WCPFC tuna stocks — except for Pacific Bluefin tuna — are at healthy levels. That is, the ISSF Status of the Stocks report rates these stocks as “green,” which means they are not overfished nor subject to overfishing.

Prior management actions taken by WCPFC and its member nations — as well as by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Forum Agency (FFA) and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) coastal states for their national waters — have created this positive picture. But further improvements are needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) resources region-wide and to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities that threaten them. 

This December’s WCPFC annual meeting presents an opportunity to review supporting measures to the tropical tuna ones already in place, measures that can bolster management of the region’s fisheries. To that end, ISSF, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and our respective stakeholders are calling on WCPFC to adopt new measures — or amend existing ones — that will:

  • Strengthen FAD management by including mandatory use of non-entangling designs, a progressive shift to biodegradable materials (excluding the buoys) in the non-entangling designs, complete reporting of FAD tracking data, and the adoption of science-based limits on FAD deployments and/or FAD sets; and
  • Strengthen management of at-sea transshipment for longline vessels to reduce the likelihood of IUU fishing activities, labour abuses, and other illicit activities, and to address ongoing non-compliance consistently identified in the WCPFC Technical and Compliance Committee (TCC).

Why FAD Management?

FADs are man-made floating objects specifically designed to attract and aggregate fish. FADs are widely used as a fishing gear due to the efficiency advantage they provide, but they can be associated with several negative ecosystem impacts, such as higher bycatch of some species and beaching (when a FAD that was previously drifting at sea washes ashore and becomes grounded or entangled on a reef).

While FAD sets account for approximately 40% of the purse-seine-caught tuna in the WCPFC, the ultimate fate of FADs remains poorly understood. In preliminary analyses, PNA tracking data from FAD buoys has proven valuable for estimating the number of active FADs and to determine FAD fate (an estimated 25% of the FADs drifted out of main fishing areas and a minimum of 5% were beached.1

Additionally, FADs often incorporate old netting that entangles marine species like sharks and can result in “ghost fishing” (where fishing gear that is lost continues to function by catching fish or ensnaring other marine animals), and the use of plastic components in FADs contributes to ocean pollution and marine debris. It is evident that managers need greater understanding of this gear to improve measures that regulate its impact. 

ISSF, in collaboration with industry, researchers and governments, has undertaken significant research on FAD designs. This research shows that the use of non-entangling FAD designs by tuna vessels minimises the capture of bycatch species, including sharks and turtles. ISSF is also leading collaborative research on biodegradable FADs, to explore how to minimise the introduction of plastic into the marine environment via FADs and beaching. 

Although the WCPFC and WCPO coastal states have implemented FAD management measures, a mandatory requirement for the use of non-entangling FAD designs remains outstanding. We’re asking WCPFC delegates to adopt provisions that detail such a requirement, as recommended by the FAD Working Group, including a clear timeframe for the mandatory use of biodegradable FADs, as proposed by FFA Members and the European Union. And we are supporting requirements for FAD tracking and the development of protocols or policies for FAD recovery.

How to Strengthen At-Sea Transshipment

Transshipment is the transfer of fish or fish products, at sea or in port, from one fishing vessel to either another fishing vessel or to a vessel used solely for the carriage of cargo, for further transport. At-sea transshipments are of special concern in fishery management since, if not properly monitored, they can complicate the collection of accurate data and the traceability of product, creating a fertile environment for IUU fishing activities.

Although the WCPFC promotes in-port transshipment, at-sea transshipment is permissible if a member country states that it is “impractical” to conduct transshipment in port. There are currently 10 countries that permit their longline vessels to conduct at-sea transshipment. This exemption has resulted in an increasing number of longline vessels conducting at-sea transshipment in the WCPO — in effect, the exception is becoming the rule.   

WCPFC reports continue to show that specific member countries persist in their non-compliance with the current WCPFC measure on transshipment. Along with failing to provide observer reports to WCPFC, these members are also not providing advance notification of the intention to tranship, nor are they reporting transshipment events — all of which are basic requirements for managed transshipments at sea. 

Given this ongoing non-compliance by some WCPFC member countries — and the availability of electronic monitoring — we echo the strong support for the TCC recommendation. We urge the Commission to undertake a thorough review of its transshipment regulation in 2019 and adopt substantive improvements.

In particular, ISSF and WWF urge the adoption of amendments that include, among others:

  • Implementing real time, or near real-time, reporting for all components of transshipments
  • Automatically including any vessels involved in transshipment breaches on the draft IUU vessel list
  • Replacing the clauses regarding the “impracticability” test and unfettered flag State authorization with clear criteria and a process for the Commission to review issued flag State transshipment at-sea authorizations against those criteria to ensure compliance

As we prepare to travel to Hawaii for this year’s WCPFC annual session, we ask that you join our efforts to achieve sustainable management of Pacific tuna fisheries: Urge your country’s support in adopting strengthened management of FADs and at-sea transshipment activities.

Claire van der Geest is Strategic Policy Advisor for ISSF and Bubba Cook is the Western and Central Pacific Ocean Tuna Programme Manager at World Wide Fund for Nature.

1WCPFC SC14 2018/MI-WP-09

Managers Fail to Act to End Overfishing or Rebuild Bigeye and Yellowfin Stocks

Written by svanouse on . Posted in Blogs, News.

By Dr. Victor Restrepo and Holly Koehler

When I set off for Croatia for the recent annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), I was hopeful that fisheries managers in the Atlantic Ocean region would act decisively to improve the sustainability of their tropical tuna fisheries. Unfortunately, despite eight days of intense negotiations, my hopes — and the appeals of many of our colleagues and stakeholders — were not realized.

At the outset of the ICCAT meeting, ISSF was especially concerned with the fate of measures for bigeye and yellowfin tuna stocks. That’s because data show that the region’s bigeye tuna stock is overfished and subject to overfishing and that yellowfin tuna may be experiencing overfishing as well.

As a result, ISSF urged action to reduce the mortality of small bigeye and yellowfin tuna in the purse seine fishery by adopting one or more measures — in addition to fully allocated catch limits — as potential solutions; measures like:

  • Expanded time/area fishery closures and fishing effort controls
  • Limitations on the use of supply and support vessels
  • Strengthened fish aggregating device (FAD) management

But fisheries managers in the ICCAT region failed to reach an agreement on stronger tuna conservation measures; they opted to continue with the existing measures for tropical tunas for another year. We are disappointed that no science-based tuna management recommendations were approved, and we are especially concerned that no progress was made to strengthen FAD management.

With about 50 percent of the Atlantic’s tropical tuna caught using FADs, improving how managers regulate FAD use is essential to the long-term viability of the region’s fisheries. Better FAD management can help end bigeye and yellowfin overfishing in the region.

A scarcity of data is hurting the Commission’s efforts to better manage FADs. Although ICCAT requires FAD data submission for scientific use, only a handful of the region’s fishing nations are complying — thus hindering stock and broader fisheries analyses by ICCAT scientists. ISSF’s appeals to ICCAT to improve implementation of this critical reporting requirement went unanswered.

With no progress on tuna management or FADs, overfishing of bigeye — and likely yellowfin — tuna stocks will continue. The stocks will likely be in worse shape next year, and the negotiation of appropriate conservation measures will become even more difficult than it was this year.

Some Wins to Applaud

One bright spot at this year’s ICCAT meeting was progress made to fight illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing activities. First, ICCAT modernized its vessel monitoring systems (VMS) requirement, specifically, so that the collection and transmission of data occurs at least every hour for purse seine vessels and at least every two hours for other vessel types (the previous measure required a four-hour frequency). This has been one of ISSF’s long-standing best-practice asks of ICCAT.

ICCAT also adopted needed improvements to its IUU vessel listing measure by, for example, allowing the cross listing of vessels listed by non-tuna RFMOs (like carrier vessels) and removing the measure’s previous limitation to fishing vessels of 12m or greater. In addition, ICCAT adopted amendments to its recommendation on port state measures to better align with the FAO Port State Measures Agreement. Together, these actions go a long way in combating IUU activities that threaten the long-term sustainability of tuna resources.

A final important accomplishment this year was progress in modernizing the ICCAT Convention text — a great success for the Commission. These amendments will strengthen ICCAT’s mandate and tools to sustainably manage not only the tuna resources of the Atlantic, but also sharks and the broader marine ecosystem. And they will help ICCAT combat IUU activities and implement the precautionary approach to fisheries management.

I hope you will join our efforts to demand progress for Atlantic Ocean tuna fisheries. More work is obviously needed to urge precautionary and science-based action at ICCAT. ISSF will continue to work cooperatively with our diverse, multi-sector stakeholders to ensure the enduring health of tunas and ecosystems of the Atlantic Ocean.

ISSF Announces New and Amended Conservation Measures for Longline Vessels, Tuna Supply Chain and Data Reporting

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) announced today the adoption of two new conservation measures to facilitate continuous improvement across global tuna fisheries. ISSF also amended two of its existing conservation measures. Adoption of the new measures supports the expansion of ISSF efforts to the longline fishing sector, doubling the number of measures that apply to longline vessels specifically, the first of which were adopted in April 2017.

All ISSF conservation measures directly affect how nearly 30 global seafood companies that are ISSF participating companies environmentally manage their respective tuna supply chains.

“Our work at ISSF is ever evolving. We regularly review ISSF conservation measures to update existing standards or to create new commitments in line with the latest fisheries research or to address conservation needs,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “With about 75 percent of the world’s canned tuna processing capacity conforming to dozens of ISSF measures for sustainability best practices — and with major tuna companies being transparently audited against these measures — we are driving unique and positive change across the world’s tuna fisheries.”

ISSF has doubled the number of #conservation measures that apply to #longline #tuna #vessels. Click To Tweet

New ISSF Conservation Measures — Greater Transparency for Longliners

The ISSF ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) is a public internet database that tracks detailed vessel information and how vessels are following science-based practices that support sustainable tuna fisheries. MRAG Americas, a third party, independent auditor, audits vessels that join the PVR with respect to these practices; vessels that join the PVR commit to provide regular, accurate information about those activities. Because the PVR brings transparency to the tuna supply chain, ISSF has worked to increase the number of fishing vessels the Register lists — from less than 200 vessels in 2012, the year it was launched, to more than 1,000 as of October 31, 2018.  

The ISSF Status of the Stocks report shows that longline fishing accounts for 12% of the tuna catch globally, or more than 562,000 tonnes. While some tuna longline vessels are already listed on the PVR — 202 of the total 1,099 vessels listed are longliners — the newly adopted ISSF conservation measures amplify the PVR’s ability to increase transparency and accountability amongst longline tuna fishing vessels.

Specifically, ISSF Conservation Measure 7.1(b) – Controlled Vessels – Longline states that ISSF participating companies:

Shall register by June 1, 2019, all controlled longline vessels fishing for albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna on the ISSF ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) and thereafter maintain such registration indefinitely. 

And ISSF Conservation Measure 7.5 – Purchases from PVR Vessels – Longline states that, effective December 31, 2019, ISSF participating companies purchasing specified tuna species from longline vessels, shall:

  1. Develop and make public by December 31, 2019, a statement of intent to increase purchases from longline vessels registered on the PVR
  2. Publish the percentage of their longline purchases from PVR registered longline vessels by March 31, 2020, or indicate no such purchases made.

Read more on Conservation Measure 7.1(b) and Conservation Measure 7.5.

Amended ISSF Conservation Measures — Tuna Supply Chain and Data Reporting

In addition to the adoption of two new measures, the ISSF Board amended two existing measures: ISSF Conservation Measure 2.4 and ISSF Conservation Measure 2.2.

ISSF Conservation Measure 2.4 – Purchase Requirements from ISSF Participating Companies to Enhance the Effectiveness of ISSF Conservation Measures, originally adopted in October 2017, is amended to become Conservation Measure 2.4 – Supply Chain Transparency, Audit, Reporting and Purchase Requirements, with an effective date of January 1, 2020.

“ISSF conservation measures lead to sustainability best practices permeating a participating company’s tuna supply chain,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “Conservation Measure 2.4 accelerates the impact of some of these sustainability best practices amongst an even greater portion of the tuna industry. More companies will be subject to reporting and independent audit processes — a gain in transparency and accountability for the industry, the market and for the long-term viability of the world’s tuna fisheries.”

ISSF Conservation Measure 2.4 requires that the nearly 30 ISSF participating companies purchase tuna products primarily from other suppliers that are either ISSF participants or that acquire the newly created designation of an ISSF Data Check Company. Any tuna processor, marketer or trader that commits to conform to all ISSF conservation measures, commits to the ISSF compliance audit process, and successfully completes an initial audit of its traceability system may apply to become an ISSF participating company. Any tuna supplier that has a published compliance audit report with respect to five specific ISSF conservation measures may become an ISSF Data Check Company. Those five ISSF conservation measures are: Conservation Measure 2.2 – Quarterly Data Submission to RFMO; Conservation Measure 1.1 – Tuna RFMO Authorized Vessel Record; Conservation Measure 4.1 – Unique Vessel Identifiers – IMO; Conservation Measure 4.2 – Purse Seine Unique Vessel Identifiers; and Conservation Measure 5.1 – Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU Fishing).

Conservation Measure 2.4 specifically states that, regarding albacore, skipjack, yellowfin and/or bigeye tuna, ISSF Participating Companies shall:

  1. For purchases from fish trading organizations that trade 10,000 tons or more of tuna annually (not directly from fishing vessels), purchase all round; gilled and gutted; or headed, gilled and gutted tuna from:
    1. ISSF Participating Companies; or
    2. Companies designated by ISSF as Data Check Companies that have a published compliance audit report with respect to ISSF Conservation Measures 2, 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, and 5.1, as determined and reported by the ISSF external auditor on or before January 1, 2020, and subsequently become ISSF Participating Companies on or before January 1, 2021. 
  1. If purchasing from processing organizations that purchase and process more than 12,500 round tons per year, purchase all frozen loins or processed, shelf-stable, canned or pouched products of tuna from:
    1. ISSF Participating Companies; or
    2. Companies designated by ISSF as Data Check Companies that have a published compliance audit report with respect to ISSF Conservation Measure 2.2, 1.1, 4.1, 4.2, and 5.1, as determined and reported by the ISSF external auditor on or before January 1, 2020, and subsequently become ISSF Participating Companies on or before January 1, 2021.

Complete details on the Data Check designation, including Terms and Conditions, are available in the full text of the conservation measure on the ISSF website, as well as an application form.

Conservation Measure 2.4 was originally recommended to the ISSF Board by ISSF’s Environmental Stakeholder (ESC) and Scientific Advisory Committees (SAC) to reduce existing gaps in the receipt of data by tuna RFMO scientific bodies — gaps that a fragmented and global supply chain can perpetuate. Specifically, the committee intended that a greater number of tuna companies be beholden to ISSF Conservation Measure 2.2, which requires participating companies to submit species and catch data to RFMOs quarterly because “the scientific findings of the RFMO scientific bodies depend on the completeness and accuracy of the supporting data available to them.” As amended, Conservation Measure 2.4 will expand industry commitment to best practices beyond RFMO data submission that are critical in the elimination of IUU fishing.

Finally, the ISSF Board amended ISSF Conservation Measure 2.2, to require the use of a specific and consistent format when ISSF participating companies submit quarterly data to RFMOs. Starting with the reports corresponding to the fourth quarter of 2019, submissions shall use the format available for download on the ISSF website. The amendment comes as a result of research and guidance from the ISSF SAC, following their analysis of the current use of the data in different RFMOs.

About ISSF Conservation Measures & Compliance

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 about 75% of global canned-tuna production and include well-known brand names, are audited yearly by MRAG Americas on their operational transparency and compliance with ISSF conservation measures.

86% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels; Some Stocks Remain Overfished

Written by svanouse on . Posted in News, Press Releases.

Of the total tuna catch, 86% came from stocks at “healthy” levels, an 8% increased share of the total catch since last reported, according to an October 2018 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. Skipjack tuna stocks — at healthy levels in all ocean regions — still comprise more than one-half of the total catch.

Our latest #tuna #stock-status report reveals notable changes for several commercial #species. Click To Tweet

Though many of the broad indicators of overall global stock health remain unchanged, there were several notable changes for specific commercial tuna species:

The assessment for Western and Central Pacific bigeye was more optimistic, showing that the stock is not overfished and that recent management measures put in place by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) appear to be working effectively.

Atlantic Ocean bigeye received a pessimistic stock assessment from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and remains overfished. In 2017, Atlantic bigeye catches exceeded the total allowable catch (TAC) by approximately 20%. ISSF has long advocated that ICCAT adopt stock-specific management measures to effectively control the catch of bigeye and other overfished species in the region including Atlantic yellowfin.

Catches of Eastern Pacific bigeye in 2017 increased 10% from 2016 levels. The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Council (IATTC) conducted an update assessment of the stock that appears to indicate that the stock is experiencing overfishing. The results should be viewed with caution due to the high levels of uncertainty in the assessment. Nevertheless, several fishery indicators suggest that the management measures in place are insufficient to effectively control fishing.

The stock status of South Pacific albacore is confirmed as very healthy, but the stock assessment covers only the WCPFC Convention Area South of the equator, not taking into consideration part of the catches from the IATTC Convention Area (EPO).

There were no other major changes in tuna stock status since the previous February 2018 Status of the Stocks report; the updated report reflects new data made available at 2018 tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) meetings held through October 2018.

Key Statistics in the Report

  • Total catch: In 2016, the total major commercial tuna catch was 4.9 million tonnes. More than half of the total catch (57%) was skipjack tuna, followed by yellowfin (30%), bigeye (8%) and albacore (4%). Bluefin tunas (3 species) accounted for only 1% of the global catch. These percentages changed only slightly from the February 2018 report.
  • Abundance or “spawning biomass” levels: Globally, 65% of the 23 stocks are at a healthy level of abundance, 13% are overfished and 22% are at an intermediate level. In terms of total catch, 86% come from healthy stocks, 10% from overfished stocks and 4% from stocks at an intermediate level. Unchanged from the last reporting, the stocks receiving orange scores — indicating overfished status — remain Atlantic Ocean bigeye, Pacific Ocean bluefin and Indian Ocean yellowfin.
  • Fishing mortality levels: 70% of the 23 stocks are experiencing a well-managed fishing mortality rate and 17% are experiencing overfishing.
  • Largest catches by stock: The five largest catches in tonnes are Western Pacific Ocean skipjack, Western Pacific Ocean yellowfin, Indian Ocean skipjack, Indian Ocean yellowfin and Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack.
  • Tuna production by ocean region: Most (53%) of the world’s tuna is harvested from the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, followed by the Indian Ocean (20%), Eastern Pacific Ocean (13%) and Atlantic Ocean (10%).
  • Tuna production by fishing gear: 65% of the catch is made by purse seining, followed by longline (12%), pole-and-line (8%), gillnets (3%) and miscellaneous gears (12%). These percentages have not changed since the February report.

About the Report

There are 23 stocks of major commercial tuna species worldwide — 6 albacore, 4 bigeye, 4 bluefin, 5 skipjack, and 4 yellowfin stocks. The Status of the Stocks summarizes the results of the most recent scientific assessments of these stocks, as well as the current management measures adopted by the RFMOs. Updated several times per year, Status of the Stocks assigns color ratings (green, yellow or orange) using a consistent methodology based on three factors: Abundance, Exploitation/Management (fishing mortality) and Environmental Impact (bycatch).

ISSF produces two reports annually that seek to provide clarity about where we stand — and how much more needs to be done — to ensure the long-term sustainability of tuna stocks: the Status of the Stocks provides a comprehensive analysis of tuna stocks by species, and the Evaluation of the Sustainability of Global Tuna Stocks Relative to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Criteria provides scores for the stocks and RFMOs based on MSC assessment criteria. The MSC-certified fisheries list (Appendix 2) in Status of the Stocks complements the Evaluation report. Together, these tools help to define the continuous improvement achieved, as well as the areas and issues that require more attention.

In addition, ISSF maintains a data-visualization tool based on its Status of the Stocks report. The “Status of the Stocks Tool” is located on the ISSF website and accessible through the Status of the Stocks overview page; users can easily toggle through tuna stock health indicators and filter by location, species and other key stock health and catch factors.

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Editor’s Note: Key global tuna catches statistics are calculated using 2016 data. Note that 2017 catches were not available for some of the ocean regions at the time of updating the report.