The Tri Marine Western and Central Pacific skipjack and yellowfin tuna fishery has achieved MSC certification for free school tuna caught using its purse seine vessels.
This certification effectively expands the area of MSC certification in the Western Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) beyond the waters of the Partners to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) to include tuna caught in US territorial waters, the waters of several Forum Fisheries Agency member countries, and the high seas. The result will be to increase the availability of MSC certified skipjack and yellowfin in the US market, especially through Tri Marine’s tuna base and processing facility in American Samoa.
The fishery will supply brands in the US, including Tri Marine’s own Ocean Naturals.
“We are proud to have pioneered the development of free school tuna products to create market-based incentives for environmentally responsible fishing practices,” said Matthew Owens, Tri Marine’s director of environmental policy.
“Broadening our portfolio of MSC certified fisheries and products is an important part of our sustainability strategy. It not only provides positive recognition of our ongoing sustainability efforts, but it also boosts our supply of tuna certified to carry the blue MSC ecolabel.”
Independent assessors found that the fishery meets the MSC’s requirements for healthy stocks, and that stocks of both skipjack and yellowfin in the WCPO are healthy and projected to remain so.
Each eligible vessel in the Tri Marine fleet carries an observer at all times to ensure that the fishery complies with legal and regulatory requirements, as well as those of the MSC.
This MSC certification applies only to free school purse seine fishing because bycatch from that fishery is low.
