SOUTH AFRICA – A segment of South Africa’s albacore tuna pole-and-line fishery has made history by becoming the first in the country to earn the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, marking a significant achievement in sustainable fishing.
This milestone was reached by a portion of the fishery represented by ICV Africa, a tuna trading company, after participating in the In-Transition to MSC (ITM) program since 2020.
Another group from the same fishery, represented by the South African Sustainable Tuna Association (SASTUNA), is currently undergoing assessment against the MSC Fisheries Standard.
The journey toward certification began in 2018, when the MSC engaged with the fishery through the Fish for Good project, funded by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
This four-year initiative aimed to promote sustainable fishing practices in South Africa, Indonesia, and Mexico.
In 2020, the fishery entered the ITM program, a pilot program designed to help fisheries align with the MSC’s rigorous Fisheries Standard over a five-year period.
After meeting the ITM entry criteria, the fishery applied for and received funding from the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund to support improvements.
Operating mainly from Cape Town and Hout Bay harbors, the fishery employs around 2,500 people.
The ICV Africa certificate covers a catch volume of 2,500 metric tonnes, nearly half of the fishery’s total catch.
The majority of this albacore is processed for canning and sold in supermarkets across the United States and Europe.
While the pole-and-line method minimizes bycatch, the fishery needed to enhance its data collection on encountered species.
To address this, a fishery observer team was established in late 2020 to monitor and collect catch information at sea.
The fishery also completed a review of endangered, threatened, and protected species interactions, implementing training on safe handling practices, particularly for seabirds.
ICV Africa CEO Michelle Bellinger emphasized the importance of sustainability in their operations, stating that it is crucial not only for maintaining healthy tuna stocks but also for protecting the broader ocean ecosystem.
South Africa’s involvement in tuna fishing began in the 1960s, with the establishment of a tuna longline fishery following surveys conducted between 1960 and 1963.
The South African tuna pole and line fishery primarily targets species such as southern albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), and, to a lesser extent, bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) and skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis).
Over the last decade, catches of southern albacore tuna have averaged approximately 3,200 tonnes per year, showing an upward trend.
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