Ecuador’s Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries has issued a new ministerial agreement adopting the National Tuna Action Plan (PAN ATUN).

This new public policy will help officially establish more efficient goals and strategies for preserving and certifying the sustainability of industrial tuna fishing which is seen as key to avoiding the permanent disruption of the life cycles of tuna and other associated species in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Guillermo Moran, manager of TUNACONS, a group comprising Ecuador’s five largest tuna companies, said, “By issuing this ministerial agreement, the country once again demonstrates its commitment to the sustainable use of marine resources and to reinforcing strategic areas of the production chain with a view to eliminating illegal fishing.

“This is the result of coordinated efforts between the country’s fishing authority, tuna guilds, civil society organisations and other players involved in the chain”.

The plan sets out a number of strategic lines, including reducing by-catch, improving environmental impact monitoring and management systems, strengthening the national traceability system, developing environmental education programmes, outreach and communication, promoting scientific research and institutional reinforcement.

This action is also part of the national government’s efforts to adequately respond to the yellow card warning issued at the end of last year by the European Union regarding fish exports by strengthening the MSC certification process for FAD-associated and free-school tuna fishing.