More than a dozen prominent canned tuna companies in Thailand do not satisfy the basic standards of traceability, sustainability and equity, according to the latest Greenpeace questionnaire and report on the matter.
Greenpeace Southeast Asia (GSA) sent its questionnaire to 14 canned tuna companies in Thailand, which has upwards of 50 tuna processing plants in its midst. Of the 14 questioned, four did not respond or did not return their questionnaire and were therefore automatically given failing marks by the NGO. In total, five companies received failing grades while nine were given fair marks by GSA.
According to the resulting report, “From Sea to Can: Thailand Canned Tuna Ranking,” released by GSA on 29 September, the majority of the companies reviewed do not have adequate measures in place to identify the origins of their fish or the type of fishing gear employed to catch their product’s tuna. What’s more, assurances regarding the welfare of their fishing workers are lacking, said Greenpeace.
"Consumers have a right to know what is really in the can," said GSA's ocean campaigner Anchalee Pipattanawattanakul to The Bangkok Post. "It's vital for canned tuna companies to ensure their tuna can be traceable to where and how they were caught, whether it is linked to trans-shipment at sea, illegal fishing, destructive fishing methods or a forced labor issue."
The questionnaire included inquiries about traceability, tuna stocks, fishing methods, legality measures, worker conditions, sustainability and transparency.
Some of the company rankings were as follows:
- TCB
- King’s Kitchen
- Nautilus & SeaCrown
- Sealect & Ocean Wave
- TESCO-LOTUS
- ARO
- BROOK
- TOPS
- AYAM
- BIG C
- Home Fresh Mart
- Roza
Read the report in full here: http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/th/campaigns/Ocean/Thailand-canned-tuna-ranking_EN/
