Tuna was among four seafood products involved in an alleged EUR 87 million money-laundering and tax-fraud scheme involving a criminal organization uncovered by Italian authorities.

Italy’s Financial Police Unit, part of the Guardia di Finanza, began searches and seizures last week after an investigation uncovered a criminal organization selling tuna, salmon, sea bass and other seafood, mainly to operators in Sweden, Greece and Spain, without paying value-added tax. The companies also obtained loans that were never repaid. The firms sold seafood at lower prices than competitors, undermining fair competition, while proceeds were reinvested in real estate and other commercial activities, reported SeafoodSource. According to investigators, 14 individuals and corporations were involved in the scam.

US President Donald Trump has signed the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act into law on October 15 to help authorities identify where certain fish were caught, detect seafood fraud, and prevent illegally caught fish from entering the US market. The law covers three tuna species – yellowfin, bigeye, and Atlantic bluefin.

The law assigns several agencies including NOAA to co-develop standard chemical-analysis methodology and conduct pilot studies to determine the origin of the tuna and red snapper. This includes a portable field-testing kit that one person can carry. Where practicable, it should also be capable of testing prepared seafood, including raw tuna served as sushi or poké.

The Ecuadorian tuna organization TUNACONS, last week, won the inaugural International PUCEM Awards 2026, presented by the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador in Manabí, a private university in Ecuador, in recognition of TUNACONS’ support for the institution’s marine biodiversity conservation initiatives.

The award highlights collaboration between academic institutions and fisheries organizations to advance scientific knowledge of sustainable fisheries and marine ecosystem protection. The partnership also aims to give university students greater opportunities for research and training on marine conservation and the responsible use of ocean resources, according to TUNACONS. The organization stated that when fishing organizations, NGOs, and universities collaborate, they contribute to developing solutions based on science and strengthening a culture of responsibility with the ocean.