March 2009
ISSF launched
Scientists, 8 tuna companies, and World Wildlife Fund form partnership for tuna conservation and bycatch reduction
@ISSF on Twitter
1st Conservation Measures 2.2 Quarterly Data Submission to RFMOs & 5.1 Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Read More
Scientists, 8 tuna companies, and World Wildlife Fund form partnership for tuna conservation and bycatch reduction
@ISSF on Twitter
1st Conservation Measures 2.2 Quarterly Data Submission to RFMOs & 5.1 Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Read More
1st Conservation Measures
2.2 Quarterly Data Submission to RFMOs & 5.1 Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing
2009
1st technical report
Report examines excess fishing capacity in tuna fisheries – and its conservation impacts – arguing for coordinated RFMO efforts to manage it Read More
November 2009 Bycatch mitigation meeting
ISSF convenes fishers from all RFMO regions to study FAD use Read More
December 2009 E News
Weekly e-newsletter shares ISSF reports, events, and other updates Sign Up
Report examines excess fishing capacity in tuna fisheries – and its conservation impacts – arguing for coordinated RFMO efforts to manage it Read More
November 2009 Bycatch mitigation meeting
ISSF convenes fishers from all RFMO regions to study FAD use Read More
December 2009 E News
Weekly e-newsletter shares ISSF reports, events, and other updates Sign Up
1st technical report
Report examines excess fishing capacity in tuna fisheries – and its conservation impacts – arguing for coordinated RFMO efforts to manage it
E News Sign-Up
May 2010
IUU Conservation Measures
Measures 1.1 and 4.1 adopted to help eliminate illegal fishing through authorized vessel record and unique vessel identifier (IMO number) approaches
2011 1st research cruise
Scientists in Eastern Pacific Ocean study FAD design and fish behavior at FADs Read More
Measures 1.1 and 4.1 adopted to help eliminate illegal fishing through authorized vessel record and unique vessel identifier (IMO number) approaches
2011 1st research cruise
Scientists in Eastern Pacific Ocean study FAD design and fish behavior at FADs Read More
IUU Conservation Measures
Measures 1.1 and 4.1 adopted to help eliminate illegal fishing through authorized vessel record and unique vessel identifier (IMO number) approaches
2011
Cordoba Conference
Stakeholders discuss property rights allocation and use rights in tuna management Read More
2012 1st electronic monitoring system test
ISSF research cruise in Western Indian Ocean tests EMS on purse seiner
Pacific research cruise
Stakeholders discuss property rights allocation and use rights in tuna management Read More
2012 1st electronic monitoring system test
ISSF research cruise in Western Indian Ocean tests EMS on purse seiner
Pacific research cruise
Pacific research cruise
Eastern and Western Pacific research includes shark release and mortality, among other issues
2012
ISSF Guide to Non-entangling FADs
1st purse-seine “snapshot” report
Report provides data for addressing fishing capacity, including to define “large-scale purse seiner” and identify fishing members
January 2013 Sustainable Fishery Agreements: Strategies for Enforcement and Compliance
Workshop covers compliance and enforcement in the context of rights-based management in multilateral tuna fisheries Read More
1st purse-seine “snapshot” report
Report provides data for addressing fishing capacity, including to define “large-scale purse seiner” and identify fishing members
January 2013 Sustainable Fishery Agreements: Strategies for Enforcement and Compliance
Workshop covers compliance and enforcement in the context of rights-based management in multilateral tuna fisheries Read More
ISSF Guide to Non-entangling FADs
Handbook describes FAD designs fishers can use to avoid entangling sharks, turtles, and other non-target animals
February 2013
1st "P1-P3" report
Report evaluates tuna stocks against Marine Stewardship Council Principles 1 and 3 (stock status and management effectiveness, respectively)
2013 Common Oceans project
HCR and reference points workshop
Workshop examines how RFMOs use monitoring, stock assessments, harvest control rules, reference points, and management actions to make decisions Read More
Report evaluates tuna stocks against Marine Stewardship Council Principles 1 and 3 (stock status and management effectiveness, respectively)
2013 Common Oceans project
HCR and reference points workshop
Workshop examines how RFMOs use monitoring, stock assessments, harvest control rules, reference points, and management actions to make decisions Read More
Common Oceans project
ISSF partners with new GEF-funded UN FAO ABNJ/Common Oceans project focused on fishing and other activities in “common ocean” regions
2013
Western Pacific research cruise
Scientists study tuna behavior around FADs Read More
Harvest strategies ISSF establishes developing harvest strategies as global priority for RFMO outreach
1st joint NGO advocacy letter
To WCPFC on RFMO meeting transparency
Scientists study tuna behavior around FADs Read More
Harvest strategies ISSF establishes developing harvest strategies as global priority for RFMO outreach
1st joint NGO advocacy letter
To WCPFC on RFMO meeting transparency
2014
1st RFMO "best practices" reports
Reports offer recommendations to RFMOs on vessel monitoring systems, transshipment, combatting illegal fishing, and observer programs
March 2014 Capacity transfer workshop
Outcomes of prior capacity management workshops recognized that the issue of capacity transfers is fundamental and a means of accommodating coastal states’ rights, which led ISSF to convene the first workshop to discuss the issue Read More
2014 Electronic reporting pilots ISSF funds ER pilots in WCPO, world’s largest tuna fishing region
Reports offer recommendations to RFMOs on vessel monitoring systems, transshipment, combatting illegal fishing, and observer programs
March 2014 Capacity transfer workshop
Outcomes of prior capacity management workshops recognized that the issue of capacity transfers is fundamental and a means of accommodating coastal states’ rights, which led ISSF to convene the first workshop to discuss the issue Read More
2014 Electronic reporting pilots ISSF funds ER pilots in WCPO, world’s largest tuna fishing region
2015
All major tropical tuna RFMOs adopt measures to require UVIs
Percentage of large scale purse seine vessels with publicly available IMO numbers increases to 90 percent, up from 12 percent in 2011 Read More
Nearly 30 global retailers and food service providers reference ISSF in their procurement policies
Companies include requirements re: ISSF participating companies, ISSF conservation measures, and/or the ISSF PVR
Percentage of large scale purse seine vessels with publicly available IMO numbers increases to 90 percent, up from 12 percent in 2011 Read More
Nearly 30 global retailers and food service providers reference ISSF in their procurement policies
Companies include requirements re: ISSF participating companies, ISSF conservation measures, and/or the ISSF PVR
2015
1st compliance report
First aggregate ISSF participating company compliance report published Read More
ICCAT non-entangling FAD measure
ICCAT cites ISSF Guide to Non-Entangling FADs in decision to adopt measures requiring non-entangling FADs Read More
EM/ER advocacy
Position statements urge all RFMOs to adopt electronic monitoring/electronic (EM/ER) reporting measures
First aggregate ISSF participating company compliance report published Read More
ICCAT non-entangling FAD measure
ICCAT cites ISSF Guide to Non-Entangling FADs in decision to adopt measures requiring non-entangling FADs Read More
EM/ER advocacy
Position statements urge all RFMOs to adopt electronic monitoring/electronic (EM/ER) reporting measures
2015
Electronic monitoring field tests
Ghanaian purse seine vessels begin field test of electronic monitoring systems (EMS) in Common Oceans/ABNJ Tuna Project, with ISSF partnership Read More
Skippers Workshops participation
1,100+ skippers and crew attend best-practice bycatch-mitigation workshops to date
Associate Participating Companies
ISSF establishes Associate Participating Company level for companies with less than $50 million in tuna revenues; number of ISSF participating companies reaches 31
Ghanaian purse seine vessels begin field test of electronic monitoring systems (EMS) in Common Oceans/ABNJ Tuna Project, with ISSF partnership Read More
Skippers Workshops participation
1,100+ skippers and crew attend best-practice bycatch-mitigation workshops to date
Associate Participating Companies
ISSF establishes Associate Participating Company level for companies with less than $50 million in tuna revenues; number of ISSF participating companies reaches 31
2016
Gear types on PVR
Biodegradable FAD workshop
Fishers and scientists brainstorm FAD designs made with natural materials to reduce marine pollution from fishing Read More
May 2016 Individual company compliance reports
Compliance reports are published on each participating company’s conformance with conservation measures Read More
Biodegradable FAD workshop
Fishers and scientists brainstorm FAD designs made with natural materials to reduce marine pollution from fishing Read More
May 2016 Individual company compliance reports
Compliance reports are published on each participating company’s conformance with conservation measures Read More
Gear types on PVR
An updated PVR now shows vessels by gear types: 455 purse seiners; 56 longliners, & 16 pole and line vessels
2016
Non-entangling FAD conservation measure
Measure 3.5 asks participating companies to conduct business only with purse-seine vessels that have a public non-entangling FAD policy Read More
RFMO joint letters
Multi-sector partners co-sign ISSF joint letters to each RFMO urging progress on harvest control rules Read More
IOTC skipjack HCR
Measure 3.5 asks participating companies to conduct business only with purse-seine vessels that have a public non-entangling FAD policy Read More
RFMO joint letters
Multi-sector partners co-sign ISSF joint letters to each RFMO urging progress on harvest control rules Read More
IOTC skipjack HCR
IOTC skipjack HCR
ISSF contributes to process leading to IOTC adoption of skipjack tuna harvest control rules
November 2017
100% company conformance
2017 83 joint letter co-signers
Record-high number of NGOs, participating companies, tuna processors and importers, industry associations, retailers, and food service companies co-sign ISSF joint letter to RFMOs Read More
2017 83 joint letter co-signers
Record-high number of NGOs, participating companies, tuna processors and importers, industry associations, retailers, and food service companies co-sign ISSF joint letter to RFMOs Read More
100% company conformance
Participating companies achieve a milestone 100% conformance with all 21 conservation measures in effect through Dec. 31, 2016
2017
NGO Tuna Forum
ISSF joins new initiative bringing together a diverse group of global NGOs engaged in tuna conservation
Supply & Tender Vessel conservation measure
New measure 7.4 calls for tuna companies to register supply-and-tender vessels on the ProActive Vessel Register Read More
ISSF joins new initiative bringing together a diverse group of global NGOs engaged in tuna conservation
Supply & Tender Vessel conservation measure
New measure 7.4 calls for tuna companies to register supply-and-tender vessels on the ProActive Vessel Register Read More
2018
RFMO Non-entangling FAD Measures
IATTC and WCPFC join IOTC and ICCAT in incorporating non-entangling FAD designs – based on ISSF Guide to Non-Entangling FADs – in their conservation measures
Retailer procurement policies
42 global retailers and food service providers reference ISSF requirements in their seafood procurement policies
Interactive stock status tool
Interactive data visualization tool, based on Status of the Stocks report on tuna stock health and catch View Tool
IATTC and WCPFC join IOTC and ICCAT in incorporating non-entangling FAD designs – based on ISSF Guide to Non-Entangling FADs – in their conservation measures
Retailer procurement policies
42 global retailers and food service providers reference ISSF requirements in their seafood procurement policies
Interactive stock status tool
Interactive data visualization tool, based on Status of the Stocks report on tuna stock health and catch View Tool
Retailer procurement policies
42 global retailers and food service providers reference ISSF requirements in their seafood procurement policies
2018
Biodegradable FADs & FAD retrieval
FIP Resources Finder
Tool for fishery improvement project stakeholders matches ISSF resources to Marine Stewardship Council Performance Indicators fisheries are targeting View Tool
RFMO Best Practice Snapshots updated
8 snapshots -- first released in 2018 and based on papers submitted to RFMOs -- inform NGOs and ISSF policy Read More
FIP Resources Finder
Tool for fishery improvement project stakeholders matches ISSF resources to Marine Stewardship Council Performance Indicators fisheries are targeting View Tool
RFMO Best Practice Snapshots updated
8 snapshots -- first released in 2018 and based on papers submitted to RFMOs -- inform NGOs and ISSF policy Read More
2019
PVR vessel registrationsProActive Vessel Register reaches record-high 1,146 vessels, with increase in longline listings View Database
NGO Tuna Forum guides
ISSF and other NGO Tuna Forum members publish best practices for FAD Management and At-sea Transshipment Read More
22 Conservation Measures
Conservation measures for participating companies span RFMO vessel registration to longline vessel tuna purchases Read More
ISSF Seafood Sustainability Contest
Marine science graduate students and postdoctoral researchers invited to submit ideas for bycatch reduction and ecosystem protection Read More