The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global partnership among science, the tuna industry and WWF, the global conservation organization. Its mission is to undertake science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing by-catch and promoting ecosystem health.
Close cooperation with the world’s major tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) and their scientific committees is the first governance principle of the ISSF. The second governance principle is to follow sound scientific recommendations, which will be developed and recommended to the ISSF board by an advisory science committee of internationally recognized authorities on marine biology and ecosystems, ocean fisheries and especially tuna sustainability.
What has issf done so far?
See Conservation Measures
The founders of ISSF are Bolton Alimentari; Bumble Bee Foods, LLC / Clover Leaf Seafoods; MW Brands; Princes Ltd.; Sea Value Co., Ltd.; StarKist Co.; Thai Union Manufacturing Co. Ltd / Chicken of the Sea Intl.; TriMarine International; and WWF, the global conservation organization.
For more on the Foundation's leadership, click here.
What prompted the creation of issf?
Stocks of skipjack, yellowfin and albacore tuna, the species most commonly processed for canned and shelf-stable tuna products, appear to be in generally good health around the world. Still, ISSF wants to ensure that effective management practices are in place to maintain the health of all the tuna stocks.
The RFMOs are primarily responsible for managing the world’s tuna stocks. The tuna RFMOs are well intentioned, grounded in good science and in many instances have been effective, but unfortunately their parliamentary procedures too often allow the short-term economic and political interests of some of their member nations to trump good science.
What science does issf rely on?
You can read the latest Status of the World Fisheries for Tuna report, by clicking here.
ISSF relies on the scientific assessments and recommendations of the four tuna RFMOs. ISSF has its own Science Advisory Committee which is made up of scientists familiar with the work of RFMOs who can help ensure the actions considered by ISSF are consistent with RFMO science.
For more information on the independent ISSF Science Advisory Committee, click here.
How is ISSF going to help the tuna stocks?
Under its principles of governance, ISSF will:
· Work with RFMOs to achieve their objectives of conservation of tuna stocks and their ecosystems;
· Employ sound science for attaining maximum sustainable yields of targeted tuna stocks;
· Strive to eliminate illegal, unregulated, and unreported tuna catching;
· Provide for the health and care of the marine ecosystem;
· Facilitate use of the precautionary approach;
· Minimize by-catch, discards, and abandoned gear;
· Collect and exchange data to promote better scientific understanding of tuna stocks;
· Support certification programs that meet the 2005 eco-labeling guidelines of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.