ANABAC tuna vessels enter evaluation process to become MSC certified

The fishery under evaluation corresponds to yellowfin tuna caught with purse seine in the Atlantic Ocean in the free bank modality

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has announced that ANABAC is entering the process of evaluating the MSC program that certifies sustainable and well-managed fisheries.

In the event that the evaluation is successfully completed, yellowfin tuna (Thunnus Albacares) caught on the open bank in the Atlantic by the ANABAC fleet may be identified with the MSC blue seal. The fishery is made up of eight vessels owned by ATUNSA and PEVASA, six of them with the Spanish flag which are the Egaluze, Alboniga, Zuberoa, Playa de Noja, Playa de Bakio and Playa de Ris, one with the flag of Cape Verde, the Egalabur and Azkorri Beach with the flag of Belize. The fishing zone is in the Eastern Atlantic, specifically FAO zones 34 and 47 and the total catch size of the fishery is estimated to be close to 10,000 tons per year.

With more than 40 years of history, ANABAC is the dean association of freezer tuna vessel owners. Based since its foundation in Bermeo, a town with an enormous fishing tradition, it represents the companies ATUNSA, PEVASA and ECHEBASTAR FLEET. ANABAC maintains a wide presence and activity in the different national, European and world forums in defense of the interests of its associates.

At present, a total of 19 vessels are attached to this association, fishing mainly yellowfin tuna (Yellowfin tuna) and skipjack in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Oceans (from Mauritania to Angola) and the Indian Oceans (from the East African coast to the Chagos Islands) both inside and outside the EEZs of the riparian countries, since tuna is a highly migratory species and is not permanently located in a certain fishing ground.

Borja Soroa, President of ANABAC: “The companies associated with ANABAC are committed to the long-term sustainable development of our fishing activity. This firm commitment to achieving MSC certification includes the commitment to environmentally sustainable fishing, which guarantees the good state of the resources through the proper management of them and the reduction of the impacts of the freezer tuna fleet on the environment and throughout the weather. Undertaking a process as complex and demanding as the MSC certification is for our associates an exercise in transparency in our management and our information. And a clear way to demonstrate our commitment to exercising responsible and sustainable fishing. "

Basque Government Statement:

ANABAC's fleet is a historical and indispensable part of the Basque fishing industry. Bermeo is the center of the tuna world and for the Basque Government it is a pride that ANABAC is committed to sustainable fishing and to a process of transparency and continuous improvement that is what MSC implies.

Laura Rodríguez, MSC program director for Spain and Portugal, highlighted: “The Spanish tuna fleet is leading the bid for MSC certification in the Indian Ocean and in the Atlantic. With this announcement, ANABAC becomes the first major tuna association in Spain to start the MSC evaluation process, uniting several companies. We congratulate ANABAC for taking this step and we wish them to successfully pass the evaluation. ”

About the certifier

The evaluation will be carried out by the independent certifier Bureau Veritas. The team will assess the fishery against the three principles of the MSC environmental standard and examine the health of the fish population caught, the impact of the fishery on the marine ecosystem, and the effectiveness of fishery management.

With more than 40 years of history, ANABAC is the dean association of freezer tuna vessel owners. Based since its foundation in Bermeo, a town with an enormous fishing tradition, it represents the companies ATUNSA, PEVASA and ECHEBASTAR FLEET. ANABAC maintains a wide presence and activity in the different national, European and world forums in defense of the interests of its associates. At present, a total of 19 vessels are attached to this association, fishing mainly yellowfin tuna (Yellowfin tuna) and skipjack in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Oceans (from Mauritania to Angola) and the Indian Oceans (from the East African coast to the Chagos Islands) both inside and outside the EEZs of the riparian countries, since tuna is a highly migratory species and is not permanently located in a certain fishing ground. 

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