Maldives pole-and-line skipjack tuna exports will soon be carrying a new certificate confirming traceability and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification.
The fishery received the certification in November 2012, but now exports will be carrying a validation certificate from the Maldives Seafood Processors and Exporters Association (MSPEA).
“It is vital to the survival of fisheries such as the Maldives pole-and-line skipjack fishery that the catch achieves its full market potential,” said Hussain Rasheed Hassan, chairman of the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF). “MSC certification was a big step towards realizing this potential and now that MSC-certified Maldivian skipjack has started to arrive in European supermarkets, the new Validation Certificate gives further peace of mind to those companies that have supported Maldivian tuna.”
Shipments will also bear an illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing regulation catch certificate, further testifying that the fish is caught and exported legally.
“Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a growing problem around the world; it reduces fish stocks and makes it harder to manage fisheries sustainably, which affects the livelihoods of local fishermen and can cause extreme damage to the marine environment,” Hassan said. “Through the IUU Fishing Regulation catch certificate and the MSPEA’s Validation Certificate, consumers everywhere can enjoy Maldives’ pole-and-line skipjack tuna and know that it definitely comes from a fishery that has been certified as sustainable.”
