Martin Thurley is executive director of the Seafood Task Force, a U.S.-based nonprofit trade association representing major retailers, brands, foodservice companies, and supply chain partners established in 2014 to rebuild trust in global trade amid concerns of social and environmental misconduct occurring within global tuna and shrimp supply networks.
Ten years ago, concerns about social and environmental abuse in global shrimp supply chains in Thailand created a crisis of confidence in the industry. A decade on, as the Seafood Task Force (STF) prepares to head to Bangkok for its annual summit, we know that the solutions lie within the industry, and although progress can often be frustratingly slow and extremely challenging, we have implemented tangible improvements.
Now, as new allegations emerge involving some of the biggest exporters to the U.S., our collective objective must be to create a new culture of compliance that provides greater levels of confidence to trade.
STF was born out of the 2014 shrimp crisis before we later expanded into tuna. It is the only global trade association where the world’s largest retailers, seafood brands, and their partners work together – across the supply chain – to tackle issues of human rights, environmental degradation and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) in tuna and shrimp supply chains. Comprising over 40 members, it operates an annual program to drive transparency, oversight, and continuous improvement from vessel to plate. Our objectives are to produce fully traceable, ethically produced, and environmentally responsible seafood.
No one can doubt the scale of the challenge. We need to set out a roadmap of realistic, achievable measures – adopted and implemented by a coalition of the willing. Our program is for the seafood industry and by the seafood industry in a way that promotes competition and consumers’ interests; no one business can tackle these issues alone.
With large-scale sustainability certification efforts already underway, the Seafood Task Force is focusing its efforts on tackling underlying issues that impact the social and environmental conditions in the seafood sector – on the ground and on the water – not easily touched by traditional certification.
Our solution is an annual oversight and continuous improvement program centered on the will of businesses, as well as continuous focus by our members, to achieve lasting and positive change. It needs to be backed up by government engagement, with a recognition that this presents its own challenges as administrations change and their priorities can vary accordingly.
Boots on the ground are essential; the STF’s role is to provide practical support and measurability. Businesses conduct their own due diligence, which we verify, and gaps identified during these assessments are used to develop remediation and work plans.
It is a carrot and stick approach. What is the carrot? Global market confidence to trade seafood products and a competitive seafood industry with a transparent supply chain but reduced costs. What is the stick? Tougher international social, environmental, and due diligence standards.
Our approach is to under-promise and over-deliver, but it is important to remember that tangible achievements have already been delivered, including:
- The STF Social Code of Conduct, widely regarded as best practice for social compliance;
- A pioneering responsible recruitment program for shrimp and tuna industry members;
- The first ever country-wide farmer training program in Thailand; and
- Pioneering electronic traceability software, enabling traceability through tracking and tracing of fish products from vessel to plate.
Having successfully encouraged the Thai government to reform outdated fishery laws in 2016, the country’s political landscape remains changeable, and we are currently working with the new government to prevent a relaxation of controls and a less transparent approach to important labor and environmental protections. There is a broad international consensus on this issue and we are lobbying alongside other concerned parties.
However, the initial challenges we saw in Thailand we are now being encountered in other markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. To address these, the work we started in Thailand has expanded to Indonesia, Vietnam, and India, with nearly 100 social, traceability, and environment assessments planned over the next 24 months; 80 percent of the supply chain has already been mapped. We held a summit in India in April 2024 attended by around 80 percent of the country’s producers and 12 organizations have so far joined the STF, committing to supply chain mapping.
No one is under any illusions about the scale of the challenge. But, we know that with boots on the ground and using a tried-and-tested operational approach, we can follow the supply chain from the vessel onward to get a baseline understanding of the current landscape.
Looking ahead, we must understand that we will be judged by our actions rather than our words. The STF has a 10-point plan, which we track continuously. Our 2024-2025 plan includes:
- Increased accountability: All members must demonstrate traceability
- Enhanced tuna supply chain oversight through a scalable program
- Improved worker hiring practices through a responsible recruitment program and engagement with vessel owners, with a grievance mechanism in place for tuna vessels
- Monitoring vessel behavior in conjunction with governments and strengthening government reforms through international engagement
- A draft environmental code of conduct for aquaculture, including protecting natural habitat from conversion to shrimp farms
Identifying best practices is key to success, and we do so through an annual self-declaration of supply chain mapping, risk assessment, and traceability that allows members to share trends. Since 2020, 90 percent of STP members have completed and are currently submitting their supply chain mapping confirmations and 74 percent have presented a satisfactory self-declaration to the STF.
Supply chain mapping is not a one-off – it needs to be an annual recurring effort to meet changing international requirements and to maintain confidence to trade.
Ultimately, words are cheap, and data is priceless. Measurable results are what matters. The industry needs to set the baseline, plot achievable goals, and plan a realistic timeline.
A new culture of compliance is essential for the seafood industry’s future. We need to go beyond certification because certification schemes only provide a single snapshot for certification at a single factory, farm, or group of farms. We must acknowledge that some issues are industry-wide and cannot be solved by any single actor alone. We must ensure that no one is left behind.
The STF offers solutions beyond traditional certification, promoting global market confidence through transparency and cost efficiency. Innovation arises from diverse approaches, not a one-size-fits-all method. Through these iterative processes, we will drive meaningful change and deliver best practices to the industry.
