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Author: Lynne Mandel

Science in Action | Driving Progress for Sustainable Tuna Fisheries

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

ICYMI

Science Leads the Way

“ISSF uses the power of the scientific process to illuminate ways to continuously improve sustainable tuna-fishing policies. In the big picture of fishery sustainability, solution-oriented science is essential for sound policy. Our research can have the most impact when RFMOs and government agencies are able to leverage it to enact optimal conservation measures for fisheries.”

Susan Jackson, ISSF President, opens our 2024 Annual Report with a reflection that highlights ISSF’s commitment to continuous improvement in sustainable tuna fisheries through science-based initiatives, collaboration, and transparency.

Read Ms. Jackson’s Letter 

Featured Content

Highlights from Science Leads the Way

  • Electronic Monitoring Milestone: Support of RFMOs in adopting standards for fleets to use electronic monitoring (EM) — and providing resources to assist vessels in transitioning to EM technology. As of year-end, all four tropical tuna RFMOs have adopted minimum standards for EM use.
  • Breakthrough on Jelly-FADs: The release of a fisher construction guide for building nearly 100% biodegradable FADsmarks a key step toward reducing ocean plastics and bycatch
  • Scientific Output: Co-authoring 16 peer-reviewed journal articles and participating in 36 coordinated research projects and 56 RFMO meetings demonstrates ISSF’s robust scientific engagement and leadership.
  • Supporting Sustainability Certification: Advancing MSC fishery certification and assessment processes for the world’s tuna fisheries by submitting 77 stakeholdersubmissions to 62 fisheries.
  • In-the-field Outreach: 523 participants attended ISSF-organized or -supported fishers workshops, with sessions focusing on FAD retrieval, bycatch mitigationand best practices for longline
  • Global Advocacy Alignment:Analysis of RFMO statements showed a 90% alignment between ISSF’s priorities and those of nearly 50 other environmental NGOs.

Read the ISSF Annual Report

Did you Know?

Vessel List Growth

At 2024-year end, the ProActive Vessel Register (PVR) listed an all- time-high 1,739 vessels. The Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives (VOSI) reached 808 vessel registrations, a 63% annual increase.

Nearly 70% of vessels registered on ISSF’s Large Scale Purse Seine Record (LSPSR) also were listed on the PVR. And 84% of the large- scale tropical tuna purse-seine fish hold volume globally is represented on the PVR.

ISSF in the News

ISSF Publishes 2024 Annual Report Highlighting Scientific Achievements in Sustainable Tuna Fishing

Fish Focus

Progress at IOTC welcomed, but ISSF calls for stronger action

Undercurrent News

 

Science Leads the Way | ISSF Publishes 2024 Annual Report

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

ISSF Publishes 2024 Annual Report Highlighting Scientific Achievements in Sustainable Tuna Fishing

ISSF today released its 2024 annual report, Science Leads the Way, spotlighting the organization’s global efforts to drive sustainability in tuna fisheries through science-based solutions, industry engagement and policy advocacy.

With nearly half of ISSF’s budget dedicated to science in 2024, the report details a year rich with research milestones, collaborative partnerships and field-level impacts — efforts collectively aimed at ISSF’s ultimate objective: helping tuna fisheries to meet and maintain the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard criteria. From publishing the first “jelly-FAD” construction guide on biodegradable, non-entangling fishing gear to organizing 34 workshops for tuna fishers worldwide, ISSF continues to place science at the core of its efforts.

“ISSF uses the power of the scientific process to illuminate ways to continuously improve sustainable tuna-fishing policies,” Susan Jackson, ISSF President, remarks in the report. “In the big picture of fishery sustainability, solution-oriented science is essential for sound policy. Our research can have the most impact when RFMOs and government agencies are able to leverage it to enact optimal conservation measures for fisheries.”

Learn More

ISSF Responds to IOTC Meeting | Hits and Misses for Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

As we mark Earth Day — a moment to reflect on our shared responsibility to protect the planet — ISSF celebrates progress made at the recent Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) annual meeting. The adoption of science-based measures for tuna and sharks represents meaningful steps toward healthier ocean ecosystems and more sustainable fisheries management.

Progress Made at IOTC
ISSF Applauds New Measures for Skipjack, Bigeye, and Sharks, Urges Further Action

In March, we reflected on the importance of the IOTC maintaining momentum on science-based tuna conservation and effective monitoring of its fisheries. As the IOTC annual meeting concludes with significant progress accomplished, the Commission still has more work to do to align its measures with the necessary reforms stakeholders like ISSF had asked for.

Read our overview of the outcomes across key priority areas in a new blog from ISSF experts Dr. Hilario Murua and Kerrie Robertson.

Read the Blog

 

Understanding Bycatch in Tuna Fisheries | UPDATED Tuna Fisheries’ Impacts Report

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

Featured Report

REPORT: Tuna Fisheries’ Impacts on Non-Tuna Species and Other Environmental Aspects

Fishers use different types of fishing gears and strategies to catch tunas. All tuna fishing methods have some sort of environmental impact, the most obvious one being the catch of non-tuna species, some of which are highly vulnerable.

An updated report, Tuna Fisheries’ Impacts on Non-Tuna Species and Other Environmental Aspects,  summarizes some of the main impacts for fisheries that catch the major commercial tunas. It also analyzes the environmental scores obtained by different tuna fishery types certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, showing that most of the main fishing methods have some type of impacts on non-tunas, habitats, and ecosystems.

The report then reviews the management measures adopted by RFMOs to mitigate these impacts, and this information is complemented with a description of other conservation measures adopted by ISSF that enable seafood companies and vessels to improve the sustainability of tuna fisheries.

Learn more

 

Featured Content

Reducing Bycatch: Efforts to Make Tuna Fishing More Sustainable

ISSF’s Bycatch Reduction webpage outlines the organization’s initiatives to minimize the unintentional capture of non-target marine species in tuna fisheries. The page presents efforts to reduce bycatch of sharks and sea turtles, particularly in purse-seine and longline fishing operations. It also highlights strategies such as modifying fishing gear, implementing best practices for releasing bycatch species, and supporting data collection to inform conservation measures.

Dive in

 

Did you Know?

ISSF Participating Companies are seafood companies that have committed to conform to ISSF conservation measures for improving the long-term health of tuna fisheries — including bycatch mitigation measures for tuna fisheries that are intended to reduce catches of non‑target species including seabirds, sea turtles, marine mammals, sharks, and rays.

View Bycatch Mitigation Measures

 

ISSF in the News
Reeling in Responsibility: The Path to Sustainable Tuna Fisheries

TriplePundit

Priorities for Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries | Reviewing Our Top IOTC Asks

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

ICYMI

BLOG: The Need for Science-Based Conservation and Effective Monitoring in the Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) annual meeting presents a crucial opportunity for member nations to continue to increase cooperation toward the adoption of science-based tuna conservation measures; improved bycatch mitigation measures; and enhanced monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) mechanisms.

Without the adoption of catch limits and other management measures to ensure stringent adherence to such limits – all of which also demand robust compliance monitoring systems – the health of tuna stocks and the broader marine ecosystem remain at risk.

Continue reading the blog by Holly Koehler and Dr. Hilario Murua.

 

Featured Infographic

Impacts of FAD Use, Proposed Solutions, & RFMO Implementation Status

An updated infographic identifies solutions to several potential negative impacts of fish aggregating devices (FADs) and then tracks four tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations’ implementation of the solutions.

View

 

Featured Content

Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Global Tuna Fisheries: 2024 Updated Report

Global tuna fisheries are amongst the largest and most valuable marine capture fisheries in the world. As the climate continues to warm, it is critical to understand the scale of this industry’s fuel use and related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, enhancing the sustainability of this fishery while contributing to global climate goals.

In 2010, Dr. Peter Tyedmers and Dr. Robert Parker undertook work for ISSF to quantify direct fuel use and associated GHG emissions from tuna fishing vessels for the 2009 fishing year. The current study by Dr. Tyedmers and Sarah Donovan serves as an update to the original assessment, providing a snapshot of fuel use and related GHG emissions estimate of global tuna fisheries and supporting activities as of 2023. By comparing the current findings with the earlier project results and data published in the literature, this report also aims to provide a sense of the trajectory of fuel use and resulting GHG emissions within tuna fisheries, as well as to identify opportunities for further improvement.

Read more

 

ISSF in the News

87% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Abundance Levels

Perishable News

BLOG: Science-Based Conservation & Effective Monitoring in the Indian Ocean

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

Featured News

Maintaining Momentum for Sustainable Tuna Fisheries: The Need for Science-Based Conservation and Effective Monitoring in the Indian Ocean

The April 2025 Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) annual meeting presents a crucial opportunity for member nations to continue to increase cooperation toward the adoption of science-based tuna conservation measures; improved bycatch mitigation measures; and enhanced monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) mechanisms.

Without the adoption of catch limits and other management measures to ensure stringent adherence to such limits – all of which also demand robust compliance monitoring systems – the health of tuna stocks and the broader marine ecosystem remain at risk.

Continue reading the blog by Holly Koehler & Dr. Hilario Murua.

 

ICYMI

IOTC Position Statement

ISSF released its position statement ahead of the annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) April 13-17, 2025.

A French translation of the statement is available.

Review the Full Statement

 

Featured Video

Success in Research

ISSF President Susan Jackson highlights research outcomes that support long-term tuna fisheries sustainability. Jackson reviews ISSF work on acoustic discrimination technology to enable selective fishing and biodegradable fish aggregating device (FADs) that help minimize the ecosystem impacts of fishing.

Watch

 

ISSF in the News

Global tuna stocks report show sustainability progress

Undercurrent News

 

How to Protect Tuna: Insights from ISSF’s Gala Moreno on Sustainable Fisheries

How to Protect The Ocean Podcast

 

Understanding Tuna Stock Health | ISSF Resource Round Up

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

ICYMI

87% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels

Of the total commercial tuna catch worldwide, about 87% comes from stocks at “healthy” levels of abundance, according to the March 2025 ISSF Status of the Stocks report, and that percentage is similar to findings shared in the previous November 2024 report. Overfished stocks account for 2% of the total catch—down eight percentage points from the last report. The percentage of the catch that came from stocks at an intermediate level of abundance is 10%—an eight-percentage-point increase from November 2024 findings.

Learn More

ISSF produces other reports that are complementary to the Status of the Stocks report and are published as part of the our technical report series.

Additional related resources are available:

  • The Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) page of ISSF’s website provides additional information about the RFMOs: How they are structured, who are their members, how they obtain their scientific advice, how are decisions made, and what ISSF’s main advocacy asks are for each one.
  • Our MSC tuna fisheries list shows tuna fisheries worldwide that either have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or are currently undergoing a full assessment to become certified. The list is updated quarterly.
  • The tuna FIPs list shows publicly listed tuna fishery improvement projects (FIPs) that are third-party verified. The list is updated quarterly.

 

Featured Tool

Interactive Stock Status & Catch Tool

Our interactive tool allows you to visualize current and historical data from ISSF’s Status of the Stocks report. The tool has three tabs — one for visualizing tuna stock health since 2011, another for visualizing the current tuna catch by fishing method, and a third with catch trends by fishing method since 1950.

Explore Here

 

REPORT: 87% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels | PLUS Priorities for Indian Ocean Tuna Fisheries

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

Featured News

87% of Global Tuna Catch Comes from Stocks at Healthy Levels

Catch from Overfished Stocks Decreased By Eight Percentage Points Versus November 2024 Report

Of the total commercial tuna catch worldwide, about 87% comes from stocks at “healthy” levels of abundance, according to the March 2025 ISSF Status of the Stocks report, and that percentage is similar to findings shared in the previous November 2024 report. Overfished stocks account for 2% of the total catch—down eight percentage points from the last report. The percentage of the catch that came from stocks at an intermediate level of abundance is 10%—an eight-percentage-point increase from November 2024 findings.

Continue reading

 

 

Featured Content

ISSF Urges IOTC to Strengthen Compliance Processes, Tuna Stock Conservation, and More

ISSF has released its position statement ahead of the annual meeting of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) April 13-17, 2025.

The statement leads with a call to strengthen the management organization’s compliance processes and ensure robust and transparent assessment of IOTC member accountability. It goes on to detail priorities for Indian Ocean tuna stock conservation—including for yellowfin, skipjack, and bigeye tuna—as well asks for improvements in FAD management, bycatch mitigation and shark protections, electronic monitoring and reporting and observer coverage, and more.

A French translation of the statement is available.

Review the full statement

 

 

Featured Video

Science First

ISSF President Susan Jackson discusses how ISSF takes a science-first approach to achieving the long term sustainability of global tuna fisheries.

Watch

 

 

ISSF in the News

Women in Seafood

FishFocus

Measuring Progress On Sustainability Commitments | PLUS Meet the ISSF Participating Companies

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

Featured Content

ISSF Participating Company Compliance Report Shows 99.1% Conformance with ISSF Conservation Measures

The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) released its Update to ISSF Annual Conservation Measures & ProActive Vessel Register Compliance Report in November 2024, and it shows a conformance rate of 99.1% by 23 ISSF participating companies with all 33 ISSF conservation measures in effect.

This report updates the ISSF Annual Conservation Measures & ProActive Vessel Register Compliance Report published in June 2024 and reflects efforts by ISSF participating companies to improve on those instances where less than full compliance was achieved. Remedial audits, if any, take place between June and October each year against measures for companies with minor nonconformance or major nonconformance.

Following the remediation period since the annual compliance report in June 2024, 17 of 23 companies fully complied with 33 audited measures, five companies had one minor non-conformance, and one had two minor non-conformances. The 99.1% conformance rate is a slight increase from 98.95% in June.

Learn more

 

ISSF participating companies work with ISSF to advocate for improved fishery management, fund scientific advancements through research and expert analysis, and take direct action to encourage the adoption of responsible fishing practices — all while committing to a suite of conservation measures aimed at improving the long-term health of global tuna fisheries.

Meet the participating companies

 

Quote of Note

“In an era when sustainability pledges in the private sector are becoming increasingly commonplace, ISSF participating companies continue to stand out in their commitment to a rigorous, transparent audit and compliance process,” said ISSF President Susan Jackson. “We cannot take for granted the value of this consistent, public reporting on the business practices of the world’s leading tuna companies.”

 

Featured Video

Building on Our Successes – Transparent Accountability

ISSF President Susan Jackson discusses how ISSF is making transparent accountability in the global tuna industry possible.

Watch

INTERACTIVE MAP: Influencing for Sustainable Fishing Policies

Written by Lynne Mandel on . Posted in eNewsletters, News.

Featured Resource

A Global View of Influence for Sustainable Fishing Policies

Beginning with a network of 23 leading seafood companies and extending to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)-certified and -assessed tuna fisheries and tuna fishery improvement projects (FIPs) — including stakeholders that ISSF technical experts engage with — ISSF’s advocacy partnerships have a broad global reach and impact. An updated Web feature visualizes that “influence network” in four major tuna fishing regions.

View Story

 

ICYMI

Priorities for Tuna Fisheries Management in 2025

Each year, ISSF identifies priority actions for tropical-tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) to take to improve fishery sustainability in their regions.

To shape RFMO discussion and decision-making, ISSF’s science and advocacy experts have outlined their concerns and advice for 2025. An updated ISSF web page offers an overview. ISSF position statements — which we disseminate ahead of RFMO annual meetings and special sessions — explore and expand on these priority topics.

Learn more

 

ISSF in the News

Bycatch Solutions Showcase 2025

Sustainable Fisheries Partnership

 

These Common Fishing Devices Cause Major Problems, But Researchers Are Working to Make Them Better

Triple Pundit