The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global partnership among science, the tuna industry and the environmental non-governmental organization community. 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?
In January, 2009, the ISSF board enacted:
· A conservation measure to refrain from using tuna from any boat listed by an RFMO as being engaged in illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing activities;
· A conservation measure to refrain from using eastern Pacific bigeye tuna after Sept. 1, 2009, unless science-based conservation measures are put in place before then by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC);
· A resolution calling on participating members to provide their catch data to the responsible RFMOs to help assure that science findings are as accurate as possible;
· A statement of concern urging the adoption of policies supporting proper management of bluefin tuna in the Atlantic region even though founding ISSF participants do not participate in the bluefin segment of the industry, which primarily supplies the sashimi market.
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.
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.
Staff Leadership:
· ISSF President, Susan Jackson
Board Leadership:
· Chairman, Christopher Lischewski (Bumble Bee Foods, LLC / Clover Leaf Seafoods)
· Vice Chair, Dr. William Fox (WWF)
Science Leadership:
· Science Advisory Committee Chairman, Dr. James Joseph (tuna fisheries scientist)
What science does issf rely on?
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.
The chairman of the independent ISSF Science Committee, Dr. James Joseph,
with more than 50 years of scholarship, administrative, and policy-making experience is considered by many to be the dean of science based tuna conservation.
Besides Chairman Dr. Joseph, the science committee includes:
· Alejandro Anganuzzi – Executive Secretary Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
· Dr. Richard B. Deriso – Chief Scientist, Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
· Dr. John Hampton – Program Leader, Ocean Fisheries Programme (SPC)
· Dr. Victor Restrepo – Assistant Executive Secretary, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
· Dr. Dale Squires – Senior Scientist and Economist, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Dept. of Commerce
· Dr. Meryl Williams – Founding Coordinator of the FishWatch-AsiaPacific Project of Asian Fisheries Society (AFS) and Honorary Life Member, AFS.
Who serves on the issf board of directors?
The ISSF Board of Directors includes:
· Chair, Christopher Lischewski -- CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, LLC / Clover Leaf Seafoods
· Vice Chair, Dr. William Fox – Vice President & Managing Director, Fisheries, WWF U.S.
· John Connelly – President, National Fisheries Institute
· Susan Jackson – President, ISSF
· Miguel Angel Jorge – Director Marine Program, WWF International
· Dr. James Joseph – Tuna fisheries scientist, chair ISSF Science Committee
· Randi Thomas – Vice President, National Fisheries Institute
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.