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AGAC achieves Marine Stewardship Council certification for Eastern Pacific Ocean skipjack tuna

• First fishery in the world to certify skipjack tuna in three different ocean regions.

• With this certification, AGAC exceeds 245,000 tons of tuna certified under the MSC sustainable fishing standard.

The Association of Large Freezer Tuna Vessels (AGAC) has obtained MSC certification for its skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) for all its fishing methods, both with fish aggregation devices (FADs) and free shoaling. (free school), in the eastern Pacific.

The skipjack tuna in this region is caught by 19 large freezer tuna purse seiners belonging to the groups Albacora, Bolton Group, Servicios Atuneros del Norte, Pesquera Ugavi, Uniocean, Central Tuna Management Corporation and Txopituna.

This certification comes from an expansion in the scope of the certification that AGAC already had for yellowfin tuna from the eastern Pacific. This area is managed by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), one of the four regional fishing organizations (RFO) for tropical tunas. AGAC thus achieves MSC certification for skipjack tuna throughout the Pacific and certification for this species in three of the four oceanic regions where tropical tunas are fished. The fourth and final skipjack stock that remains to be certified is the Atlantic stock, which is currently undergoing complete evaluation to achieve this recognition.

Certified tuna will be able to carry the MSC blue seal after having demonstrated the sustainability of the fishery once it has successfully passed the most demanding fisheries audit process against the MSC Fisheries Standard. This standard is widely recognized as the most rigorous and credible extractive fisheries sustainability assessment process in the world and is based on three principles: healthy fish populations; minimizing the impact on the marine environment as a whole; and an effective fisheries management system.

The fishery has undergone a comprehensive assessment by Lloyds Register (now LRQA), which employed some of the most renowned tuna scientists in assessing tuna fisheries against the MSC Fisheries Standard.

Some of the main strengths of this fishery are that CIAT has developed very detailed data collection systems to support skipjack population assessments. The activities of the ships of this certification are permanently monitored with 100% observation coverage by both human and electronic observers. The fishery has also shown great leadership, for example implementing a Code of Good Practice (CGP) since 2012 to address impacts on non-target species, including the adoption of non-entangling FADs. Compliance with the CGP is verified annually by the independent scientific organization AZTI[1]. All companies and vessels included in the certification have adhered to this binding Code of Good Practices. The fishery has made great strides in reducing the impact of FADs on vulnerable habitats and the ecosystem by leading the transition to biodegradable FADs and monitoring this transition through the observer program.

“With this certification, our AGAC fleet in the Eastern Pacific is able to demonstrate that the tuna purse seine fishing system is comprehensively sustainable, regardless of the method used to locate tuna schools. Skipjack tuna is a highly productive species resistant to fishing exploitation, with more than 2.5 million tons caught in the 3 main oceans, and managed sustainably around the world. The commitment of AGAC fishermen has made it possible to exceed the high MSC standards to certify our skipjack catch in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, demonstrating our commitment to the future of responsible fishing activity. Fishermen are the main custodians of the sea, because their livelihood depends on the Ocean. “We now encourage consumers to demand this standard in their canned tuna purchases.”

Julio Morón. AGAC Managing Director

“Skipjack tuna is the most consumed species of tuna worldwide. Today all skipjack tuna populations are in good abundance. In addition to population status, there are other parameters to ensure the sustainability of this species, such as interaction with other species during captures or robust management within Regional Fisheries Organizations. The MSC standard evaluates 28 environmental compliance indicators and AGAC has successfully exceeded these parameters for Eastern Pacific skipjack tuna. This milestone is added to the certifications for other species and in other oceans, which total 245,123 tons of tuna caught by fleets associated with AGAC and more than 50,000 tons of tuna that are under evaluation or in transition to MSC. Great news for blue seal tuna consumers.”

Laura Rodríguez, director of MSC for Spain and Portugal.

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