Greenpeace fosters sustainable tuna fishing. (Photo: Greenpeace Australia/FIS)

Greenpeace reveals third canned tuna ranking, Safcol moves up

Greenpeace Australia has released its third edition of the canned tuna ranking and reports significant improvements. Fish-4-Ever came in first and Safcol ranked second; both companies offer sustainably caught canned tuna.

This is the first time that a big Australian tinned tuna brand – Safcol -- has been rated as sustainable. It entered Greenpeace’s “Good” ranking after switching from fish aggregation devices (FADs) and purse seine fishing methods to pole-and-line fishing and vowing to only sell skipjack tuna.

Canned tuna ranking. (Photo: Greenpeace Australia)

Safcol’s new product was launched in Sydney this week and has not yet hit store shelves, 9 News reports.

Fish-4-Ever is not as widely available in the country and costs more than other tinned tunas due to the firm’s policy of sending fishing profits to local communities. Co-founder Belinda Lawlor informed that there was resistance from major supermarkets to stock the brand due to its higher price.

Most brands have also phased out threatened yellowfin tuna from their canned products.

From best- to worst- performing in sustainable tuna fishing, the remainder of the commonly available brands on Greenpeace’s ranking are Coles, John West, Greenseas, Ocean Rise, IGA, Sirena (ranked under “Must Improve”), Woolworths and Sole Mare (coming in under “Very Poor”).

But Greenpeace says the job is not done yet.

While every major canned tuna player in the UK has stopped using destructive fishing methods, Australia must still catch up.

''We'd like to see sustainable tuna available to every Australian who wants to buy it,'' Greenpeace campaigner Nathaniel Pelle said, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. ''It's shocking that Australia is right on the Pacific, where most of the fishing actually goes on, yet we are well behind some other countries like the UK.''

The tuna brands were ranked based on criteria including their sustainability policy, fishing methods used, tuna species used, labelling, whether they support marine reserves and equitable tuna policies and the use of illegal or unregulated products.

Lagi Toribau, Greenpeace Asia Pacific head of oceans, said it was now up to consumers to vote with their purchases and steer demand toward sustainably fished tuna.

"The market is now the carrot that's going to change everything," he commented. "If the market demands sustainability, the industry, the political circle have no reason not to agree to it because at the end of the day the products end up in the market."

Related articles:

- John West to source its tuna FAD-free by 2016 

- Sainsbury’s tuna sourcing policy bears fruit 

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Address:	189 Philip Highway
City:	Elizabeth South
State/ZIP:	SA (5112)
Country:	Australia
Phone:	+61 8 8282 1000
Fax:	+61 8 8282 1099
E-Mail:	[email protected]
More about:

Print