The French government’s website Rappel Conso, which alerts consumers on dangerous food products, announced the recall of a batch of vacuum-packed albacore loins after the detection of salmonella. Rappel Conso did not reveal if any health hazards were reported after its consumption. The products under the ‘Fish is Life’ line were distributed in retail shops such as Carrefour Belgium, Promocash, and Pomona Terre Azur. The tuna has been available for sale since July 8 and will expire on July 19, revealed the site.

Authorities warned that the Indian Ocean-caught albacore must not be consumed and those who purchased it must return it to the store. They will be provided a refund. ‘Fish is Life,’ based in Thiais in France, is owned by Comptoirs Océaniques, which claims that it has been a major player in the premium tuna and sushi business for the past three decades. It was revealed that Comptoirs Océaniques initiated the recall for Carrefour Belgium stores on July 16.

Korean company Silla received the MSC certification for its longline caught yellowfin, albacore, and bigeye on the high seas and FAO areas 71 and 77 in the WCPO and EPO, respectively. There are nine Korean-flagged vessels which are registered to WCPFC and IATTC. The announcement comment draft report for this fishery was initially published by the CAB, Control Union UK, in November 2022. The fishery did not receive any objection from stakeholders.

The Indian Ocean skipjack catches of Spanish fishing company Echebastar have been MSC recertified. This was announced by the CAB, Bureau Veritas, on July 15. The six vessels, flagged to Spain and Seychelles, fish in FAO areas 51 and 57 in the Eastern Indian Ocean. All the tunas are landed in Port Victoria, Seychelles. The total green weight of this fishery in 2022 was 37,715 tons. Echebastar’s IO skipjack have carried the MSC logo since 2018 and went for a reassessment in June 2023.

Comoros has committed to implementing the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and is taking a step forward to making its tuna-rich fisheries transparent. The African nation’s Fisheries Minister, Houmed M’Saidie, conveyed this in an official letter to Valeria Merino, Chair of the FiTI International Board. M’Saidie explained: “We are firmly convinced that optimal exploitation of fisheries resources for economic growth cannot be achieved without transparency and the participation of various stakeholders.” National flagged vessels catch skipjack and yellowfin in the Comoros EEZ. A big part of the schematic migration of yellowfin in the Indian Ocean takes place in the Comoros EEZ mainly between April and June.

The EEZ of Comoros, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, is an estimated 160,000 km² and is approximately 100 times larger than its land area. The sector’s capture is mainly composed of tuna and tuna-like species, with an annual catch estimated at 33,000 M/T, read a statement from FiTI. This new partnership is expected to enable better management of marine resources, promote sustainable tuna fishing practices, and enhance the livelihoods of local communities that are dependent on fisheries. It will also make information on vessel registry and catch statistics public which helps combat IUU fishing.