TUNACONS at the forefront of sustainable tuna fishing

Consumers on international markets, especially in the European Union, are increasingly demanding when buying food products, especially those that comply with good ecological practices.

Faced with these commercial demands, a group of tuna companies decided to unite and found the TUNACONS Foundation, whose mission is to promote environmentally responsible fishing. They started three companies, currently there are eight tuna companies, six from Ecuador, one from the United States and one from Panama.

To meet this goal, a work program has been developed to achieve the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) International Sustainable Fishing Certificate, also known as the blue seal, which is the most recognized in the world. In 2022, this sector received the first certificate with yellowfin tuna.

Guillermo Morán, director of TUNACONS, explains that this certification is scientific, which is why it involved the hiring of experts, the establishment of work teams and the training of captains and crew members. All these activities were evaluated by external experts who checked whether the fishery meets the standards proposed to obtain the blue seal certificate, a mark that will soon appear on the final products exported, especially to the European Union, the main tuna market.

This scientific work developed by TUNACONS is carried out in close cooperation with the national government through the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Fisheries, the Inter-American Commission for Tropical Tuna (CIAT) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), with which projects have been developed related to the conservation of tuna populations in the Eastern Pacific, where the Ecuadorian fleet operates.

Preservation of healthy tuna populations is one of the main activities for which we have been working on how to reduce impacts on marine ecosystems, since tuna fishing follows other species as well.

“We are working to reduce the impact of the population of sharks, turtles, manta rays, which also helps to reduce sea pollution, which are part of the problem of the ocean and that, as a sector and an industry, we must take care that the fleets are very careful when they carry out their activities and generate the least possible impact on the ecosystem,” says the manager of TUNACONS.

In order to avoid catching these species, the fishing gear used has been modified, called “FAD”, which is an artificial attraction system that the fleets have made of non-biodegradable material; This equipment is placed in the water to attract schools, it helps to make fishing more efficient. These tools have been replaced by biodegradable materials.

“Currently TUNACONS has 20% replacement of ‘FADs’, we hope to achieve 100% of these replacements in two years, in such a way as to reduce pollution, interference with vulnerable species and impacts on marine protected areas,” says Morán.

All this work has been done during these six years, the first certification has already been achieved, “and now in 2023, we have received the second certification for skipjack tuna, it is the main species that the Ecuadorian fleet catches. 65% is skipjack tuna, 25% yellowfin tuna and 10% bigeye tuna; between the two species: skipjack and yellowfin, they make up 90% of the catch, and they have their MSC certificate, after developing all these activities and satisfying more than 21 indicators MSC standard”, emphasizes the representative of TUNACONS.

The importance of MSC certification

Having this certificate is a very important factor in the international market because it creates added value to the final product. Today, end consumers and buyers of tuna products in the European Union demand that they come from a sustainable source that is duly proven by these certificates, and that they recognize them as valid for purchase consideration.

Another advantage, Morán states, is that it opens special market niches in some European Union countries, which are more demanding when buying, or that it comes from a sustainable place; especially, northern countries such as: Germany, England, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. These are the markets that can open the door to Ecuadorian products, if they consider that this certificate is awarded in support of companies that voluntarily undergo this evaluation.

Opportunities where the end customer can feel at peace to consume a product that comes from a responsible source, not to overexploit resources, to cooperate in the protection of marine ecosystems, strengthen fishing regulations; Therefore, it also helps in improving sales, says the head of Tunacons.

future actions

Guillermo Morán points out that once these certifications are achieved, the most difficult part will be maintaining them. Conformity audits will be held every year, current and future MSC standards will be maintained; These scientific standards at the level of care for the populations of tuna and other supporting species will be more and more demanding.

The challenge for the TUNACONS Foundation and its members is to continue to implement sustainability measures to continue to reduce these duly proven impacts with good fishing practices and compliance with the Tuna Regulations of the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Fisheries are elements that are taken into account during the audit by experts.

TUNACONS will continue to follow the vessels to fulfill the tasks they carry out, modifying their practice, continue to promote the development of research and scientific projects with the scientific staff of the International Commission for Tropical Tunas (CIAT), with experts from non-governmental organizations, cooperating in the protection of marine protected areas that are very important in our joint work, concludes its director.

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TUNACONS