Why ISSF?

Tri Marine chose ISSF due to the Foundation's mission, which mirrors our belief that in order to create sustainable tuna fisheries we must first work to help governing bodies responsible for the conservation and management of these fisheries function as they're intended.

Through ISSF, Tri Marine will support efforts to build consensus on adequate conservation measures for regionally shared tuna stocks. Regional fisheries management organizations (RFMO) member nations recognize that ISSF will be at every meeting advocating for science-based conservation management measures, and governments are beginning to respond.

ISSF's Approach and Focus

In 2010, ISSF launched a 3-year strategic plan in order to focus and effectively execute its mission by targeting immediate problems blocking the development of truly sustainable tuna fisheries. This strategy has three distinct lines of approach – applied science, advocacy and direct action.

These approaches will be applied to six areas of focused effort –

1. managing fishing capacity
2. mitigating bycatch
3. eradicating illegal
4. unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
5. expanding data support,
6. advancing industry performance through monitoring
7. control and surveillance (MCS) and improving overall tuna stock health.

While we focus on fisheries conservation, we must also do our part to foster science. Our involvement with ISSF gives Tri Marinethe opportunity to do just that. This year the Foundation is embarking on a first-ever globally coordinated researched into eliminating bycatch in purse seine (net) tuna fisheries with a specific focus on fish aggregating devices known as FADs. Scientists from around the world will be able to conduct important studies at sea, testing new technology and indentifying and developing best practices.

As part of its scientific outreach, ISSF also publishes a detailed report titled Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna, which analyzes and updates the health of global tuna stocks. This report tells us that yellowfin tuna, for example, is not in an overfished state in the Pacific or Atlantic Oceans where roughly 70 per cent, or more, of the world's yellowfin is caught. According to the Report, Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna "is considered to be fully fished or slightly overfished" so is in need of conservation measures but not yet in need of recovery.

Our Promise

As part of our promise to our partners and customers, Tri Marine will never buy tuna from a vessel engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and we maintain a credible, validated traceability scheme able to track tuna from capture to plate. We also continue to support the scientific bodies of RFMOs by providing unique company data directly to those scientists for use in important research.

Tackling the Tough Questions

As committed as we are to a more sustainable future, Tri Marine must accept the fact that our ultimate goal will not be achieved overnight. It will take years of consistent, measured and ambitious work. Along the way what may appear to be obvious sustainable choices, must be thoroughly and carefully researched before being accepted as the best. For example, pole and line caught skipjack tuna may produce little bycatch besides other tunas but the method also requires bait. When ISSF looked into the question of Replacing Purse Seining with Pole-and-Line Fishing in the Western Pacific, the study raised serious concerns about the sustainability of bait fish populations.

Identifying an unsustainable practice is easy. Solving it takes time and Tri Marine is in it for the duration.

Working Together

Tri Marine and its partners are not the only champions for change and we certainly can't change the world on our own. We welcome the chorus of supporters who actively identify unsustainable practices and work on science-based solutions to eliminate them. That's why ISSF has invited the participation of environmental leaders through its Stakeholder Committee. Some of the world's leading conservation advocates, have been asked to take a seat on this important advisory panel.

Please continue to ask these important questions and monitor our progress. Tri Marine will continue to work with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) in support of science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of the world's tuna resources and part of that work is helping to educate the public about what we stand for.

To learn more about ISSF, please visit the Foundation's website at www.ISS-Foundation.org.

---

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR Activities?

Please contact a Tri Marine expert. You can also contact one of our offices worldwide.