Sustainable tuna fishing is an essential element for ocean conservation and global food security. In the Eastern Pacific, one of the regions with the highest tuna fishing activity in the world, the application of responsible practices makes it possible to ensure that the exploitation of this resource remains within safe biological limits and under sound scientific management.
Of course, many species of fish that are fished for commercial purposes, including tuna, are managed internationally – through international cooperation, agreements, and organizations. Today, the Senate Commission of Fisheries and Aquaculture convened a symposium to explore more about Mexico’s role in international fisheries management with sites on the long-term conservation of global fisheries. Causa Natura was a key organizer, working alongside the Senate to ensure that there is the opportunity for open dialogue and to generate ideas for strengthening Mexico’s foreign policy on the international fisheries agenda.
This week I had the pleasure of meeting with Causa Natura here in Mexico City, a group that is working together to promote public policies that support the sustainable management of natural resources and social welfare of the country, through applied research, information, and capacity building of citizens and public and private institutions. We share these important goals with them.
As part of the MSC certification, we intend to implement an ambitious Sustainability Action Plan that includes efforts to improve the international and national regulation, management, and oversight of the fishery. We are pleased to work alongside groups that are already working on this important topic.
One of the areas of our fishery of most interest to global NGOs is our efforts to protect marine mammals. NGOs are seeking more investment to protect marine mammals and to learn more about them. The Alliance has committed to an ambitious Sustainability Action Plan to protect dolphins and marine mammals as part of meeting the MSC conditions. This article gives background on our fishing technique and interactions with marine mammals for stakeholders that are new to our fishery.
Happy Solstice to all!
It is always invigorating to be writing on the longest day in summer! We write today with an update to those stakeholders about the status of MSC certification process.
Earth Day 2016 is on its 46th year and still inspiring people to action for the Earth, promoting emerging consciousness on environmental issues.
Our sustainability vision is to ensure healthy oceans – and that means we believe that we must lead on environmental performance. We have made significant investments over the past 20 years to improve our sustainability practice. Our members have demonstrated that strong commitment in ways that have been costly – like voluntarily withdrawing from Bluefin Tuna fishing for 5 years.
This week I had the honor of attending the annual meeting of the Environmental Defense Fund-Mexico which they held this year in Mexico City, Mexico. EDF’s annual “Encuentro” brings together thought leaders in sustainable fisheries to discuss and plan a way forward for sustainable oceans. We attend these meetings because the Alliance continues to seek out relationships and ways to work with nonprofit organizations like EDF to further our sustainability mission.
As 2015 draws to a close, it is a good time to review the progress we have made since we formed in the late half of 2014. As a relatively new organization, this year, 2015, has been a busy year – for me personally, and for the Alliance.
Last week, I had the opportunity – along with one of the members of the Alliance – to attend the VII World Conference of Tuna, “Vigo 2015”, held on September 7-8th in Vigo, Spain. Over 300 business leaders from the tuna industry worldwide attended – representing over 30 countries to discuss topics varying in nature from FAO’s perspective on tuna as a global food source, to corporate social responsibility in the tuna industry, to which mechanisms can ensure sustainable management of tropical tuna and of the tuna industry overall. The importance of these types of discussions is clear – to protect the oceans that are increasingly threatened.
The food-buying public, particularly in wealthier nations, is increasingly asking more questions about the food we’re eating: How is it produced? Who is involved? and — the most basic of questions — Where does it come from? This is motivated by concerns about diet and health, the environmental impacts of food production, and the wellbeing of workers. This trend extends to the seafood industry as well: growing concern about how fisheries are being managed, amplified by shocking news stories about illegal fishing and slavery in the fishing industry, is focusing consumer and regulator attention on where, and how, our fish are being caught.
