PNA Tuna Fishery Receives MSC Recertification After IPNLF Objections

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 28, 2018

The PNA tuna fishery has received their MSC recertification following concerns raised by the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF).

As we reported earlier this month, an independent adjudicator confirmed that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery continued to meet the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing. This inspection came after IPNLF presented 24 objections against the sustainable fishery, including that the fishery was involved in shark finning, a practice that the MSC had banned in ...

Ocean Hugger Foods Partners with Aramark to Expand Distribution of Vegan Tuna Alternative

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 22, 2018

Ocean Hugger Foods, a company focused on creating sustainable plant-based alternatives to seafood, has announced a partnership with Aramark to expand their distribution.

For a limited time, Ahimi®, a vegan alternative to raw tuna, will be offered at select corporate cafes and college campus dining halls that are managed by Aramark. The product is made from tomatoes, filtered water, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar, and will be served in ...

Chicken of the Sea Unveiling New Yellowfin Tuna Slices at SENA 2018

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 6, 2018

Chicken of the Sea, a Thai Union Company, is introducing deli yellowfin tuna slices, a new deli product that will get a national rollout.  The product will be on introduced at the Boston Seafood Show.

Chicken of the Sea’s new, ready-to-eat tuna slices, are the “world’s first pre-sliced, pre-seasoned tuna slices made from whole yellowfin tuna loins.” The new product was created to compete with traditional lunch meats, and is one of ...

US Foods Spring Scoop Product Launch Features Shrimp, Salmon, Tuna and Pollock

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 27, 2018

The first day of spring is not until March 20, but US Foods has released their 2018 Spring Scoop product line, which highlights 29 new products that are part of their Serve Good Program.

The Serve Good Program was launched in 2016 to meet the growing demands for responsible menu options . The program initially started with 24 products, but now features over 300 products that are not only responsibly sourced, but use packaging that is ...

ISSF Unveils Updated Strategic Plan Recognizing FIPs, and Will Monitor Labor and Social Standards

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews]  February 26, 2018

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) released its Strategic Plan for 2018-2022.  The plan was the result of 10 months of consultations with tuna companies, scientists, NGO's and stakeholders.  The plan lays out the research and advocacy organization’s mission and approach to meeting sustainability objectives over the next five years.

Key elements are continued support for tuna fisheries to become MSC certified under UN FAO guidelines.  The new element is recognition of FIPs, or fisheries improvement projects, which are improvements in fisheries designed to make them eligible for certification.  During the FIP, the fisheries involved will be recognized as being on a path towards sustainability.

The plan also commits the ISSF to monitor compliance with labor and social standards within the tuna industry.

The new strategic plan has three core pillars: science, influence, and verification — encompassing tuna stock health and fisheries bycatch, outreach to Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) ...

UK Retailers Express Concerns Over Sustainable Tuna

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - January 18, 2018

Should tuna fisheries be allowed to be partially certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)? Some retailers in the UK are fighting the controversial practice. Tesco, Waitrose and Marks & Spencer have written to the MSC Board to express their belief that the practice of compartmentalizing tuna fisheries for certification is “not in the best interests of responsible fishing policies.”

“I am pleased that Tesco, Waitrose and M&S have written to the MSC Board to raise their concerns about ...

NOAA Continuing Pilot Project on Longline Gear that is More Protective of Swordfish and Tuna

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [NOAA Fisheries] - January 11, 2018

NOAA Fisheries and our partners at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation kicked off the New Year with the second round of the Oceanic Fish Restoration Project. The project aims to restore a portion of the fish injured as a result of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Ten fishing vessel owners from Florida and Louisiana will take a break, also known as a repose, from using pelagic longline fishing gear for the next six-months ...

StarKist Funds American Samoa Flagged Longline Fleet MSC Certification

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - December 21, 2017

StarKist has invested in an American Samoa-based U.S. flagged longline fleet in an effort to expand their selection of products with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) eco-label. The company funded and managed the fleet’s efforts to get MSC certified, which they succeeded in doing this past November.

“StarKist has always had a strong commitment to sustainability and we were proud to support the American Samoa-based U.S. flagged longline fleet during the rigorous MSC assessment process ...

Papua New Guinea Offering $400 Rebate Per Ton of Tuna Processed

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - December 18, 2017

The Papua New Guinea government has implemented a new reward system to promote development and employment within the national tuna sector and curb tuna catches from being processed elsewhere.

Foreign and domestic vessels that land their tuna catch in PNG and process it at their respective canneries will be eligible for a $400 USD rebate per ton of tuna processed. The rebate will go to the “production side of the corporation ...

FDA Posts Import Alert For Vietnamese Seafood Company Due to Hepatitis A Contamination 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - December 14, 2017

On Wednesday the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) posted an import alert for “detention without physical examination of seafood due to hepatitis A contamination.

According to the FDA alert, they conducted a sample of frozen raw tuna products in May 2017 and found that the products contained the hepatitis A virus. A follow up screening by the FDA alerted them to a second firm’s frozen raw tuna products containing the hepatitis A ...

MSC Called to Parliament to Answer Questions About its PNA Tuna Recertification

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by John Sackton  December 7, 2017

The MSC was called to a parliamentary meeting with the UK Fisheries minister and nine Members of Parliament who are supporting the UK ‘On the Hook’ Campaign which has opened up a significant challenge to the MSC’s certification of sustainable tuna.

The On the Hook Group was started by celebrity British Chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who led the hugely popular ‘fish fight’ campaign.  It asks the simple question of how the MSC can assure UK consumers that its label stands for sustainability, when they allow the very same vessels and companies that catch free swimming tuna to also catch FAD tuna, not approved by the MSC, on the same trip.

The group and its parliamentary supporters object to the MSC allowing of 'Compartmentalization' in order to recertify the PNA tuna fishery.  They say it is hypocritical to allow a portion of the fishery to use unsustainable practices,..

New ISSF Report Reveals Participating Companies Fully Compliant With Conservation Measures

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - December 4, 2017

Last week the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) released their Update to ISSF Conservation Measures & Commitments Compliance Report. The report revealed that all ISSF participating companies have achieved “full compliance with all ISSF Conservation Measures and Commitments in force as of December 31, 2016.”

ISSF’s Conservation Measures & Commitments Compliance Report is published annually and tracks the progress of ...

How Ocean Hugger Foods Is Breaking Into the Seafood Industry

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - November 16, 2017

Ocean Hugger Foods, the company behind Ahimi, the world’s first plant-based alternative to raw tuna, is expanding their offerings.

In the works for over four years, the company made headlines in September when Whole Foods announced that shoppers in New York and Los Angeles would be able to purchase Ahimi in two of their sushi dishes. Now, with 2018 approaching, Ocean Hugger Foods is looking towards the future. And that future involves plant-based alternatives to ...

Seafood Canners Facing Rising Costs From All Directions, Have Little Option to Raise Prices

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton - November 7, 2017

The drop in canned tuna consumption again in the US in 2016 is only the tip of the iceberg for seafood canners, who face a host of rising cost pressures.  At the same time, canners are restrained from raising prices due to competition and the erosion of sales.  The French canning association, that represents 15 French canneries, is sounding the alarm about rising costs.

First, they say canners are being hammered by raw material price increases.  “Tuna prices are at record highs. Between January 2016 and July 2017, skipjack almost doubled and yellowfin tuna jumped 74%. The tensions are all the stronger on these two species because fishing restrictions in the Indian Ocean and in the Pacific affect the world production,”, said the association.

But other canned species are seeing price increases as well.  Mackerel prices have risen 35% ...

ISSF Status of the Stocks Reports Strengths and Weaknesses in Global Tuna Management

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] by Peggy Parker - November 2, 2017

Washington, DC  -- A new report shows that 78 percent of worldwide tuna catch comes from stocks that are currently at “healthy” levels. The report was released today from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

ISSF updates the report a few times a year. The last issue was in February 2017, when the first industry data from 2015 was available, and it included actions taken by regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) as recently as the fall of 2016.  In the February 2017 report, 76% of landings came from “healthy” fisheries. 

To put that statistic in perspective, in 2011, 94% of the global tuna catch came from stocks considered “healthy”; in 2012, the percentage dropped to 86...

Mexico Appealing WTO “Dolphin-Safe” Tuna Labeling After U.S. Win

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - October 27, 2017

The World Trade Organization (WTO) announced on Thursday that the United States’ tuna labeling measures are in line with WTO rules and that they do not discriminate against Mexico’s industry. However, Mexico is appealing WTO’s ruling.

Mexico has been challenging the U.S.’s dolphin-safe labeling requirements since 2008, stating that they’re WTO-inconsistent because “the requirements deny the label for tuna product produced by ...

78% of Global Tuna Catches Come From Healthy Stocks, Says ISSF

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews]  March 8, 2018

 Of the total tuna catch in 2016, 78% came from stocks at “healthy” levels, unchanged since last reported, according to a February 2018 International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) Status of the Stocks report. 

Skipjack tuna stocks — at healthy levels in all ocean regions — constituted more than one-half of the 2016 total catch.

One notable change in stock status in the February 2018 Status report is for Southern bluefin tuna, a stock that has moved from orange to yellow in abundance ratings. Stock abundance is low, about 13% of the unfished level. However, the stock is rebuilding continuously as a result of the implementation of a robust Management Procedure (a Harvest Strategy) by the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna, the regional organization in charge of managing the stock.

 In contrast, the Pacific bluefin stock, along with the Indian Ocean yellowfin stock and the Atlantic Ocean bigeye stock remain overfished. ..

Independent Adjudicator Finds No Shark Finning Issue in PNA Tuna Fishery

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - March 1, 2018

Following concerns brought up by the International Pole and Line Foundation, an Independent Adjudicator has confirmed that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery “continues to meet the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) standard for sustainable fishing.

Although the International Pole and Line Foundation raised a “number of concerns,” one of the bigger issues revolved around the group’s claim that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery is involved in shark finning. MSC had banned the practice of shark finning in ...

Chicken of the Sea’s Genova Brand Now MSC Certified Thanks to Partnership with Pacifical

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - February 27, 2018

Chicken of the Sea, part of the Thai Union Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pacifical to promote MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certified tuna that has been sourced from the nations of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) in the Western Central Pacific Ocean.

Chicken of the Sea’s premium brand, Genova, will be using Pacifical MSC certified tuna. The brand is known for its “premium high quality solid yellowfin tuna filets ...

$300K Tuna Sold at Final Tsukiji Fish Market Heads to NYC Sushi Chain

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - January 19, 2018

The 890 lb. bluefin tuna sold for $323,195 at the final New Year’s auction at Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji fish market has made its way to New York City.

The fish was bought by the Onodera Group, which has 11 restaurants in seven cities around the world, including London, Paris, Shanghai and Los Angeles. Sushi Ginza Onodera, located on 5th Avenue in New York City, is the lucky restaurant ...

Many Tuna Stocks Not Meeting Standards, Says ISSF

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - January 11, 2018

A recent report from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) shows that 13 major commercial tuna stocks are not being managed properly based on the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard.

Independent scientists looked at 19 major commercial tuna stocks to see how they were being managed. What they found is that only six of the 19 stocks are being managed to “avoid overfishing and restore depleted fish populations because the majority of the stocks are not protected by well-defined harvest ...

Whole Foods Lists Transparency As One Of The Top Food Trends For 2018

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Amanda Buckle - December 29, 2017

Whole Foods Market is looking towards the future with 2017 coming to a close. The company is predicting that one of the top food trends for 2018 will be transparency -- and canned tuna consumers will be able to benefit from that come January.

The retailer confirmed that all canned tuna in their store will come from "sustainable one-by-one catch methods" in January. The decision stems from ...

Japan Sashimi Tuna Supply Drops Below 300,000 tons This Year for First Time Since Great Earthquake

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews]  December 21, 2017

Japan's sashimi tuna supply in FY2017 forecast to slip below 300,000 tons for the first time since the great earthquake.

The Fisheries Agency said on Dec.13 that supply of sashimi tuna in Japan in fiscal 2017 (April 2017-March 2018) will likely total 289,000 tons, slipping below 300,000 tons for the fist time since 2011 when eastern Japan was ravaged by a great earthquake and tsunami.

The announcement is based on the results of discussion at a panel (headed by Prof. Xiabo Lou of the Tokyo University of Marine Sciences and Technology) on tuna supply and demand held late in November.

The shrinkage is blamed on the decreasing supply of bigeye tuna.

The supply forecast for all the tuna species...

Japan Pole-and-Line Tuna Fishery Seeking MSC Certification 

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - December 19, 2017

Ishihara Marine Products Co. Ltd., a Japan-based pole-and-line skipjack and albacore tuna fishery, has entered for assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Fisheries Standard.

Established in 1964, Ishihara Marine Products has supplied fresh and processed tuna to the market for over half a century. The company prides themselves on being environmentally friendly and making a “social contribution.”

“We have continued using the pole-and-line technique in the skipjack and albacore tuna fishery since its establishment ...

Hawaii Longliners Paying for Fishing Bigeye Rights in U.S. Territories

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] by Susan Chambers - December 12, 2017

A recent story in Honolulu Civil Beat reports that Hawaii longline fishermen are going over their bigeye tuna quota by purchasing fishing rights to access fish in U.S. territories.

However, the purchase of those fishing rights are well within established rules and regulations under the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Under the agreement, Hawaii fishermen would pay $250,000 for half of the 2,000-ton quotas from Guam, American Samoa and ...

ISSF Releases Position Statement Calling for Better Management of Stocks

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - December 5, 2017

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation has issued a position statement calling for better management of stocks and non-entangling FAD requirements in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The statement was submitted for the 14th Regular Session Meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), which is currently underway in ...

MSC Certified Tuna Wins Dutch Advertising Case

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Seafood News] - November 30, 2017

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has come out with a win after the College van Beroep of the Dutch Advertising Code reached a final verdict on MSC-related claims on cans of Princes tuna. The original decision by the Dutch Advertising Code Commission was reversed and the Appeals Chamber confirmed that “claims on all MSC labeled tins of Princes tuna are in full compliance with the ...

Walton Family Foundation and International Pole and Line Partner to Improve Indonesia’s Tuna Management

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [SeafoodNews] - November 9, 2017

London -- The International Pole and Line Foundation announced a two-year partnership with the Walton Family Foundation today to accelerate reform in Indonesia’s coastal tuna fisheries. Indonesia is the world’s leading tuna fishing nation.

The project pairs IPNLF with local industry body Asosiasi Perikanan Pole & Line dan Handline (AP2HI) to expedite improvements in the pole-and-line and handline fisheries, enabling them to acheive the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard, while also ensuring international seafood markets access to the certified products.

The initiative is supported by PNLF’s strategic partnership with USAID Oceans.

“Indonesia’s tuna fishermen land more tuna than in any other nation in the world, and the fishery is the country’s largest in terms of volume and...

Thai Union 3^rd Qtr Highlights Shift from US Market, Lobster Sales to China, and High Skipjack Prices

SEAFOODNEWS.COM  by John Sackton  Nov. 6 2017

As the Thai Union Group is now one of the largest and most influential global seafood companies, the quarterly management discussion released as part of their financial reporting documents important trends for both the company, and the seafood industry as a whole.

In the 3^rd quarter, gross profit fell 5.6% year over year due to a 40% increase in the raw material price of skipjack tuna, compared to the 3^rd quarter of 2016.  Overall sales grew to a record 35.885 billion Thai Bhat, and ...

Consumers in Japan Feel Effects of Rise in Wholesale Bigeye Tuna Prices

SEAFOODNEWS.COM [The Japan News] - October 31, 2017

Wholesale prices for bigeye tuna have risen, as lower population numbers for the fish and the effect of fishing regulations have led to declining catch volumes.

Tuna consumption typically peaks during the year-end period, and households are already feeling the higher prices. Bigeye is commonly sold raw as akami maguro in supermarkets and at conveyor-belt sushi restaurants.

In Tokyo’s Tsukiji market, the average price of frozen bigeye tuna in September was ¥1,328 per kilogram — 25 percent higher than in the same month last year. Compared with five years ago, when the wholesale price was below ¥1,000, the...