McDonald’s adds certified Pacifical skipjack tuna to its menu

Keeping in step with its global commitment to sustainability, McDonald’s Spain will soon become the first restaurant chain to feature MSC-certified Pacifical skipjack tuna on its national menu.

By the time January 2016 rolls around, over 490 storefronts will offer the "Tuna Mediterranean Salad" complete with the MSC-okayed fish.

"At McDonald's we have a goal to source all of our food and packaging from sustainable sources. As part of this, since 2013 all the white fish we serve in our restaurants globally in our Filet-o-fish sandwiches is sourced from MSC certified fisheries. In Spain, we are very proud to announce that the skipjack tuna, which we serve as part of our salad range, is now also MSC certified", said Ignacio Blanco-Traba, Sr. Director Sustainable Sourcing at McDonald's Corporation, in a prepared statement.

All of the McDonald’s skipjack is obtained from the waters of PNA nations in the Western Central Pacific Ocean, and is cooked and cleaned in a local Pacific-based processing facility. Thereafter, the fish is transported to Spain, where it is packed and delivered to McDonald’s restaurant locations.

"We congratulate McDonald's for highlighting the importance of sustainable catching methods and taking a leading step within the fast food industry," says Henk Brus, Managing Director of Pacifical. "Thanks to their commitment, millions of Spanish consumers will enjoy sustainably caught tuna and support the livelihoods of thousands of Pacific island families whose lives depend largely on tuna".

Pacifical – which is the marketing and sales organization for the PNA MSC certified tuna – is supplying from Frinsa del Noroeste, a leading European tuna processor located in Spain. The skipjack in question is caught with nets set only on free swimming schools of adult fish, and reduces bycatch to the lowest level and ensures that the tuna caught is predominately of mature size.

"In accordance with our sustainability policy, Frinsa favors the acquisition of tuna catches caught by environmentally friendly fishing methods, reducing bycatch of untargeted species and negative impacts on the overall ocean ecosystem", says José Aller, Frinsa's Head of Sustainability. "One of our principles is to guarantee the total traceability and chain of custody, from sea to plate."

"In 2011 McDonald's became a game changer in the white fish sector, with the announcement to source exclusively from fisheries that have met the rigorous MSC standard for environmental sustainability. This new commitment by McDonald's Spain to introduce MSC certified tuna, is a strong positive signal for tuna fisheries that are working towards sustainability and recognition of the top performance of the PNA nations. I am delighted that millions of Iberian consumers will be able to enjoy McDonald's salads with one of their favorite fish species, knowing that they are making a responsible choice" concluded Laura Rodríguez Zugasti, Program Director of Marine Stewardship Council in Spain and Portugal.

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