A significant step forward for tuna sustainability in Taiwan

30 March 2022 — Ocean Outcomes (O2) and Fue Shin Fishery Ltd. (FSF) are expanding the sustainable seafood movement to Taiwanese longline tuna fisheries. Two joint projects will improve environmental oversight and labor conditions on roughly 30 longline vessels which catch albacore, bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack tunas in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

This is a significant step forward for tuna sustainability in Taiwan, which has the largest longline tuna fleet in the world. The work will be completed through two fishery improvement projects, which will implement changes in the fisheries in pursuit of Marine Stewardship Council sustainability certification. Tuna from the projects supplies major international buyers looking to ensure their due diligence around sustainable, responsibly produced tuna.

“This work will help us meet our company goals around sustainability — ensuring the marine environment and its species prosper, but also it will help us ensure vessel crew and owners are being treated fairly and adhering to international best practice,” said David Huang, General Manager at FSF. “Moreover, by proactively participating in these projects we are seeking to meet our corporate social responsibility goals and the best, long-term interests for all parties in our fisheries,” he added.

A bigger wave of change

These projects are part of a bigger wave of change O2 is championing across Northeast Asian longline tuna fishing vessels, where roughly 10% of longline vessels are now part of either improvement projects or certification programs.

“Expanding our fishery improvement work in Taiwan, working with one of the big tuna traders in the region, is critical to our ability to achieve our collective sustainable tuna production goals,” said Daniel Suddaby, VP for Strategy and Impact at O2. “Now, as more and more companies are working towards similar goals, we have an opportunity to improve the efficacy and efficiency of like-initiatives.”

To support this growth of — and demand for — sustainable fisheries work across Northeast Asia, O2 is hiring two new positions to help ensure that tuna stocks, and the oceans and people who depend on them can thrive.

“As we get closer to a critical mass of longline tuna fisheries working towards sustainability, our goal is to bring together fishery improvement project stakeholders in the region to address shared interests and consider how we might also pursue opportunities in other high seas fisheries,” added Daniel.

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