Echebastar Indian Ocean purse seine tuna fishery has not met the requirements to achieve MSC certification.
The news was confirmed by a recent report from Acoura, the Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) responsible for assessing the fishery against MSC standards.
Laura Rodriguez Zugasti, MSC programme director for Spain and Portugal said: “The MSC understands the disappointment at the outcome and would like to thank Echebastar for being the first Spanish tropical tuna fishing company committed to the MSC programme.”
She added: “We acknowledge the considerable energy and investment Echebastar put into the assessment process, as well as the important improvements the company has already delivered in moving their fishing operations towards sustainability.”
In order to gain the MSC certification all performance indicators require a score of 60 or more. The fishery failed to meet the score required under the indicator for harvest control rules.
The Echebastar fishery entered into full assessment on 22 January 2013 and the process included stakeholder input and consideration of all relevant and current information related to the fishery.
Ms Zugasti concluded: “We hope continued improvement in regional management of Indian Ocean tuna fisheries will allow Echebastar to realise its ambition of achieving MSC certification in the future.”
