World Tuna Day: A Global Hit
Five years since its inaugural celebration, 2017 marks the first time that World Tuna Day reached a truly global population, following its formal recognition by the United Nations as an official global theme day on May 2nd.
An idea that was initially raised in 2011 by Pacifical CEO, Henk Brus, as a way for the Pacific island nations in the PNA to honor the economic and cultural significance of tuna to the region, the biggest celebrations were first held in the Solomon Islands, and its ambassador to the UN, Simon Beck, proposed taking the event to the UN in 2015.
Through the dedication of members of the PNA and the unanimous approval of UN delegates, the conservation of tuna has gained special regard. Now, the whole world has an opportunity to give thanks for the health and prosperity that tuna has brought them, particularly the nations that have tuna fisheries, of which there are over 80. World Tuna Day celebrations were organized by a variety of parties, in many different ways.
Americas
In the US the Thai Union brand, Chicken of the Sea (COS), collected over 600 recipes from contestants for World Tuna Day, with the top eight being included on its home website. As well as this, COS held a Facebook Live event, hosted by a food blogger, where consumers could watch and learn “new twists on classic tuna recipes”. The winning recipe of the competition was the ‘California Style Tuna Melt’, which earned the contestant a free trip to Fiji.
In addition to the competition and as part of its World Tuna Day program, COS donated USD 5,000 to FisheryProgress.org, which is a program to monitor the development of FIPs.
Since Thai Union launched its sustainability strategy, SeaChange, for which it has set aside USD 90 million, there has been a heavy emphasis on strengthening ties with FIPs, which play an integral part in its new sourcing commitments.
President of FishChoice, Richard Boot, said that the donation would help the organization to deliver on the goal of giving “buyers the consistent, verified information they need to determine whether specific FIPs are true to their objectives.”
The Caribbean saw festivities on May 2nd with Canadian brand, Brunswick, taking to the streets to celebrate the day and pull people in for photo opportunities with the promise of free tuna in Jamaica, as well as promoting the day through radio interviews. Speaking to Atuna, a Brunswick spokesperson said that consumers were “pleasantly surprised by the activities” that were done with the intention of encouraging “Jamaicans to respect the species, given the importance of food security to our own survival.”
Slow Food, an international grassroots organization founded in Italy that is focused on protecting food cultures and traditions, also got in on the act. Its Barbados branch posted its support of the day and offered a reminder of the “importance of sustainably managed fish stocks in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, which is the UN initiative with 17 goals centered on ending poverty through sustainable consumption.
Traditional Pacific Island dress and dancing were taken to the United Nation headquarters in New York on May 2nd, with Ludwig Kumoru, CEO of the PNA, stating that the organization’s ratification of the day “confirms the world’s appreciation of the value of tuna.”
As well as this, the agenda of the day revolved around sustainable tuna, with discussions on FADs, stocks, bycatch, to name a few. Deliberations that were kicked off by the President of the UN General Assembly, Peter Thomson, who held up the PNA’s management of its tuna resource as “an example of self-determination”.
In his speech, PNA Commercial Director, Maurice Brownjohn, described World Tuna Day as an “integral part of our ongoing journey” now that it had gained official ratification with the UN.
Asia
The MDPI, an Indonesian foundation that supports fishing communities through economic and social programs, decided to celebrate ‘Hari Tuna Dunia’ (World Tuna Day) by getting out into schools. Speaking to Atuna, MDPI said, “It is important for school children to know about the great tuna species found in Indonesian waters, like skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye, and the importance of achieving sustainable Indonesian tuna fisheries.”
Waters that have gained significantly more protection under recent policies, led by Fisheries Minister, Susi Pudjiastuti. Determined to maximize the potential of Indonesia’s marine resources, Pudjiastuti instigated a ban on at-sea transshipment, a moratorium on licenses for foreign vessels, and an aggressive fight against vessels guilty of IUU fishing.
Europe
Commending the day, the world’s best-known ecolabel, MSC, reminded consumers that there are over 150 tuna products in the United Kingdom that carry the blue tick. In an interview with United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC), to mark the occasion, Chief Executive of MSC, Rupert Howes, replied “absolutely yes”, when asked if sustainable production and consumption of tuna is possible.
Bolton-owned Italian brand, Rio Mare, chose to acknowledge the day by launching its first MSC product in the nation ‘MSC BIO Line’ canned yellowfin tuna. Luciano Pirovano, CSR Director at Bolton, said, “The launch of our first MSC-certified Rio Mare tuna in Italy is a major achievement on our path towards sustainability.”
Oceania
Festivals, music concerts, and talent contests were held across the PNA nations to mark the occasion. Director General of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), James Movick, said that there was a “heightened sense of energy and renewal for the 2017 celebration” and described tuna as “an intrinsic part of our unique and shared cultural and oceanic identity” in the Pacific.
Highlighting the social significance of tuna, Tri Marine-owned firms that are based in the Solomon Islands, SolTuna and National Fisheries Developments Ltd., received recognition from Wayne Maepio, the Premier of the nation’s Western Province. He commended them both for “providing employment opportunities to many people in the country. In particular, I want to acknowledge the involvement of women in this sector which clearly demonstrates a commitment to gender balance.”
With a 2016 MSC certified catch of 55,000 tons of yellowfin and skipjack, which in 2017 is set to grow to 100,000 tons, PNA waters are home to the world’s largest MSC fishery. A vital component to PNA economies, it is estimated that tuna contributes as much as 90 percent to GDP in some countries.
In what was a huge step forward in the global recognition of the importance of tuna, May 2nd is now forever marked as the day to take stock of our fortune in having such a generous and nutritious resource.
Thanks to the UN’s recognition of World Tuna Day, it’s likely the event will grow from strength to strength, pushing conservation and management to the forefront of popular discourse.