The ISSF team offers data, analysis, and tools to help decision-makers in Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and national governments to establish sustainable tuna-fishing policies based on scientific evidence and analysis.
ISSF engages with environmental NGOs and seafood companies worldwide to advance tuna and ocean conservation initiatives.
We also mobilize our diverse group of stakeholders to urge RFMOs and their member nations to address critical issues in tuna fisheries. Our team also has worked with many of the world’s best-known retailers and food-service companies as they develop and implement business policies and practices to source sustainable tuna.
OUR ADVOCACY PUBLICATIONS
Participating Company Advocacy
In addition to committing to follow our conservation measures, ISSF participating companies also advocate to RFMOs and governments for sustainable-fishing policies.
Position Statements
Our position statements for RFMOs summarize ISSF’s research findings and fishing-policy recommendations, and are intended to help guide RFMO meeting discussions and decision-making.
RFMO Best Practices Snapshots
Our “snapshots” series assesses how RFMO measures and regulations align with sustainable fishing best practices — covering transshipment, observer coverage, and more.
OUR EXPERTISE & OUTREACH
Best Practices Analysis
Our fishing policy experts research and evaluate the sustainability and effectiveness of different fisheries management approaches — on vessel monitoring, compliance processes, and other issues — and report their findings and recommendations.
RFMO Performance & Engagement
We examine tuna RFMOs’ requirements in their regions against best-practices benchmarks — comparing performance and tracking RFMO progress on adopting sustainable policies.
To spur RFMO action on areas for improvement, we disseminate detailed position statements — disseminated in advance of RFMO meetings — as well as joint advocacy letters co-signed by sustainability partners.
ISSF’s science and advocacy teams also develop an annual list of recommended priority actions for RFMOs, and we summarize RFMO successes in our annual report.
RELATED RESOURCES
Annual Report
Science Leads the Way explores ISSF’s research, outreach, and other achievements in 2024.
Advocacy News
Peruse ISSF statements, press releases, and blogs about RFMO policy issues and decisions.
Environmental Stakeholder Committee
Our policy experts work closely with the NGO experts on the ISSF Environmental Stakeholder Committee (ESC).
ESC members, who serve on a volunteer basis, advise ISSF on a range of sustainability issues and concerns — including to share information on bycatch species and mitigation approaches.
Fishing Policy Infographics
In our infographics library, you’ll find original ISSF graphics on key fishing policy topics — including tuna RFMO port state measures.
