Albacore and Yellowfin are the first MSC Certified Sustainable Tuna Species in Atlantic Canada
January 15, 2024 | 1 min to read
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has successfully re-certified the North West Atlantic Canada harpoon and longline swordfish fisheries, now unifying to form the North West Atlantic Swordfish and Tuna fishery. This certification expands its scope to include Atlantic yellowfin tuna and North Atlantic albacore, marking Canada’s first MSC-certified yellowfin tuna fishery. Additionally, three new selective gear types—rod and reel, buoy gear, and troll—have been certified for various combinations of these species.
New tuna species and gears added as part of the successful re-certification of Atlantic Canada longline and harpoon swordfish.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced that as part of a second successful re-certification, the North West Atlantic Canada harpoon, and North West Atlantic Canada longline swordfish (Xiphias gladius) fisheries have combined and expanded their scope to include two new species, Atlantic yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and North Atlantic albacore (Thunnus alalunga). The new, unified certificate called the North West Atlantic Swordfish and Tuna fishery, streamlines the certification process for all three species. This is the first MSC certified yellowfin tuna fishery in Canada.
Also new to the fishery is the certification of three additional, more selective gear types: rod and reel, buoy gear and troll. Rod and reel and buoy gear are MSC certified for swordfish, albacore and yellowfin while troll is only certified for the two tuna species.