MSC RECEIVES OBJECTION OVER BLUEFIN TUNA FISHERY

MSC receives objection over bluefin tuna fishery. The MSC has received an objection from WWF to the recommendation of independent assessors, Control Union Pesca Ltd, to certify the Usufuku Honten Northeast Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery to the MSC Fisheries Standard. The longline fishery, which is a single vessel with a quota to catch 200-400 bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic, is in the final stages of independent assessment. Contrary to some reports, the fishery has not been certified.

This is the first time any independent assessment of bluefin stocks in the Eastern Atlantic has been carried out using the MSC’s standard for sustainable fishing. Input from a wide range of stakeholders is vital throughout the assessment process. It ensures the independent assessor takes all available information into account when deciding if a fishery is or is not sustainable.

The objection raised by WWF is being reviewed by an independent adjudicator who follows a formal process for objections. The independent adjudicator will decide whether to accept, dismiss or request clarification from WWF. Once the independent adjudicator has made their decision, the notice of objection will be published on the assessment pages for this fishery on msc.org

Dr Rohan Currey, Chief Science and Standards Officer at the MSC said:  “Scientific evidence on bluefin recovery in the Eastern Atlantic is encouraging. The historic overexploitation of bluefin globally shows why it is so important to understand and incentivise the sustainable management of bluefin fisheries. The whole assessment process, which is ongoing for this fishery, happens entirely independently of the MSC so we can’t say what the overall outcome will be.”