International food and drink group Princes is to reduce the amount of yellowfin tuna that it sources from the Indian Ocean by an additional 10 percent by 2022, and is calling for urgent action to reverse the fishing pressure placed on the stock that has been overfished 2015.
Since 2017, the Liverpool, U.K.-headquartered business has reduced the amount of yellowfin tuna that it obtains from the region by 40 percent. Its current usage of the stock now accounts for less than 5 percent of the total Indian Ocean catch.
Announcing the move ahead of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission’s (IOTC) annual meeting in November, Princes said it hoped its voluntary cut to 50 percent by 2022 would make clear to the IOTC, its member states, fisheries, and vessels that action and leadership is required in order to protect the long-term sustainability of Indian Ocean tuna and the associated industry in the region.
“We have supported repeated calls for reductions in yellowfin catch in line with the scientific advice. In recognition of the situation we face, Princes decided to take action to reduce our use of Indian Ocean yellowfin. Our action alone, however, will not be enough, the IOTC needs to take action and encourage all fleets to reduce catches by 25 percent from 2017 levels,” Princes Group Director for Fish Neil Bohannon said.
Bohannon said it was clear that a credible recovery plan needs to be agreed by all parties, delivering stock rebuilding within two generations.
“Princes has two manufacturing sites in Mauritius with some 4,000 colleagues and many more jobs in the region are reliant on us. Sustaining the seafood economy is reliant on long-term sustainable tuna and the IOTC needs to show leadership and take firm action. We are committed to playing our part,” Bohannon said. “Our commitment to our Mauritian operations mean we have a strong vested interest in the future sustainability of Indian Ocean tuna. We respect decisions that other stakeholders may make on sourcing from the region but hope all stakeholders will continue to embrace the principles of partnership, collaboration and advocacy that are common in addressing the many sustainability or human rights challenges that exist in global food supply chains, of which Indian Ocean tuna is no exception.”
Asked if Princes would increase its yellowfin tuna sourcing if the IOTC agreed to reduce catches by the recommended 25 percent, a spokesperson told SeafoodSource that the company would “continue to assess IOTC action and scientific guidance in making future sourcing decisions.”
Earlier this month, U.K. retailer Co-op pledged not to sell any own-brand or branded yellowfin tuna in its stores until stocks in the Indian Ocean are managed sustainably, while in September, Tesco warned that it would stop sourcing Indian Ocean yellowfin tuna and billfish for its Own Brand products if the IOTC fails to implement a recovery plan at its meeting.
According to a report commissioned by the Global Tuna Alliance, based on 2017 stock levels, a 25 percent reduction in catch levels is necessary to rebuild the Indian Ocean yellowfin stock within two generations.
