Thailand’s Foreign Ministry has hit back at claims from a recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, which stated that human rights abuses are still widespread in the Thai fishing industry. A...
Fishing
Fisherman Dies After Serious Injuries On Spanish Seiner
A fisherman working for the Spanish tuna firm, Atunsa, has died three days after a work-related incident on the high seas. The Ghanaian man, Yao Amevedzi, was working aboard the seiner...
Mixed Tuna Fishery Parties Quiet But Confident On MSC Changes
The recent major changes to the MSC fisheries standard has put some tuna fisheries in the spotlight, forcing them to ensure their FAD operations also meet MSC sustainability levels, within the...
Vietnam’s 2025 IUU Deadline: Too Long-Term For EU?
A national action plan for Vietnam to fight IUU fishing has been approved by the country’s Prime Minister, but with a rather long-term 2025 deadline attached. It is likely the EU will demand...
MSC Sets Agenda For Change After London Pressure
The MSC has announced an agenda for various changes it will be making in regards to its entire fishery standard, assurance model and its Chain of Custody requirements. While WWF International...
Japan’s Fleet Told To Stop Catching Juvenile Bluefin
Japanese fishermen have been told to refrain from catching juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna as the country’s fleet becomes exceedingly close to exhausting its catch quota. The Asian nation...
RFMOs And Flag States “Not Enforcing Observer Safety Measures”
The President of the Association for Professional Observers (APO) tells Atuna the observer safety measures imposed by the tuna RFMO, WCPFC, are not being properly enforced. It has...
Will All Purse Seine Fisheries Now Struggle To Get MSC Certified?
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has made a decision on the controversy surrounding mixed method fisheries, following a campaign from UK based pole and line commercial parties and some...
Fiji Longline Fishery Recertified, Yellowfin Added
A Fijian longline fishery has been successful in its MSC reassessment after the usual five-year check-up. In addition to albacore, yellowfin has now been added as a certified species, which...
Dongwon’s Pacific Breeze Seiner Scrapped
The Pacific Breeze tuna purse seiner, owned by the Dongwon Industries’ subsidiary, Pacific Breeze LLC, has been scrapped according to recently filed bankruptcy papers. At the close of last...
Thai Human Rights Reforms: “Only Good On Paper”
Forced labor and other human rights abuses are still widespread in the Thai fishing industry, despite efforts from the government to tackle the issue, NGO Human Rights Watch claims in a new...
Tied-Up Seiners Head Back Out After Longer EPO Closure
The majority of the EPO purse seine fleet, which had stopped operations during session B of the regional closure, can now head back out to fish, since the measure ended on Friday. The two...
Nearly 30,000 Tagged Tuna Released Into WCPO
Almost 30,000 tuna were tagged in the Western Pacific Ocean as part of a voyage taken by the Pacific Community (SPC). The SPC expects this project will contribute to their understanding of the...
The Transshipment Hub Handling $450m Worth Of Tuna
Through 2017, more than 300,000 tons of tuna was transshipped from purse seiners to carriers in the hub of Majuro, the Marshall Islands. While the volume was lower than the previous two years,...
IO Operators Clash Over Seychelles’ Quota Management
Recently published statements from Spanish purse seine organization OPAGAC are inconsistent, according to another IO operator, who says he fully supports the Seychelles government’s management...
MSC Makes Turnaround In Its “Theory Of Change”
The MSC has made a major decision this week, outlining that for new assessments, mixed method fisheries are no longer allowed, unless both methods are MSC certified. Fisheries already...
Controversial Cook Islands Purse Seine Win Appealed
At the end of last year, the Cook Islands’ government won a long-running court case surrounding its initiatives to develop the country’s purse seine tuna fishery. The court’s decision has now...
US Shares Data To Reveal “Dark Fleet” In Indonesian Waters
The US government department, NOAA, has entered a data-sharing partnership with Global Fishing Watch (GFW) to improve understanding of vessel activity in Indonesia’s tuna rich waters. This...
OPAGAC Wants IO Fishery Closures To Ensure Smooth Supply
Purse seine fishery closures in the Indian Ocean could better manage catches and ensure smooth supply to regional canneries, according to OPAGAC, the organization representing a significant...
The Emerging Role Of WCPO Tuna In Latin American Markets
Even more important topics have joined the Americas Tuna Conference agenda, including ‘the emerging role of WCPO tuna in Latin American markets’ and ‘the latest developments in the Mexican...