The Parties to the Nauru Agreement’s (PNA) western and central Pacific skipjack and yellowfin unassociated / non-FAD set (free school) tuna purse seine fishery has renewed its Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Chain of Custody (CoC) certification.
The certification renewal is effective until 13 July, 2022, PNA said in a press release announcing the news. PNA initially earned MSC certification for the fishery back in December 2011, developing a comprehensive and credible MSC CoC scheme soon after in July 2013. Yellowfin entered the certification’s scope in 2016, PNA noted.
“We are thrilled to continue offering our very robust MSC Chain of Custody, involving 227 partner purse seine vessels and over 103 carriers. It is the strong commitment of our partners that make it possible for the world to enjoy fully traceable and sustainable MSC Pacifical Tuna,” said Maurice Brownjohn, PNA’s commercial director.
PNA said it has been recognized for having one of the “most rigorous and complex CoC available among all MSC certified fisheries,” requiring multiple filters for verification.
“The catch is only considered ‘MSC eligible’ from catching set through the factory / cold store,” the organization explained. “The fish is not certified until weight, mass balance and species composition are known and full segregation throughout is documented independently to avoid any possibility of fraud. There is also 100 [percent] third party monitoring of fishing trips, transshipment and factory discharges throughout.”
“Our MSC CoC provides assurance that the MSC certified sustainable products carrying the Pacifical Geographical Indication, are 100 [percent] sustainably caught. This CoC certificate covers the traceability from capture, transportation and trade of our MSC free school skipjack and yellowfin tuna,’’ added Brownjohn.
Image courtesy of the Marine Stewardship Council
