Friend of the Sea’s certification of yellowfin tuna from the Indian Ocean will be suspended in consideration of the latest IOTC stock assessment which concludes that the species is overfished.
Yellowfin caught after 31 December 2016 will only be certified if FOS approved fleets are found to be in compliance with IOTC’s advice (including 20% reduction of 2014 catch levels).
“Friend of the Sea standard requires target stocks to be fished within Maximum Sustainable Yield and this is why the yellowfin certification has to be suspended,” said Paolo Bray, director of Friend of the Sea.
“FOS fleets must show catch reductions in line with IOTC’s advice, in order to lead the fishery in the Indian Ocean towards a faster stock recovery.”
