A major German supermarket chain has become the first retailer in that country to join the International Pole & Line Federation (IPNLF), pledging to develop products using tuna that was caught sustainably.
Edeka Group, based in Hamburg, said it will “offer only seafood from sustainable and environmentally-friendly fisheries and fish farms.”
“It is abundantly clear that the demand for pole-and-line tuna will continue to grow in countries where seafood suppliers are progressively committing to sustainable procurement,” said John Burton, IPNLF’s chairman. “We believe retailers, caterers and brands have a key role to play in using their buying power to help develop the industry. To ensure that new and existing fisheries can credibly supply the fast growing consumer demand for pole and line caught tuna, we will work with our members to bridge the gap between supply and demand.”
Edeka said this move is the latest in a history the group has with working with WWF on sustainable tuna.
“Edeka's IPNLF membership represents a further step within the context of Edeka's commitment towards the protection of the oceans and fish stocks as well as the promotion of responsible tuna fishing. That is because pole and line fishing is one of the most sustainable fishing methods“, said Rolf Lange, head of corporate communications at Edeka.
Edeka said it is introducing a line of own-label canned products containing tuna caught by pole and line in the Maldives. The cans will bear logos from the IPNLF and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The cans will also have a QR code which consumers can use access information about pole and line fishing and the MSC.
