Following an objection in the reassessment of the PNA skipjack tuna fishery, an Independent Adjudicator has confirmed the third party conformity assessment body (CAB) decision that the PNA skipjack tuna fishery continues to meet the MSC’s Standard for sustainable fishing. Of 24 challenges to individual scoring issues within the objection, none were upheld.
Shark finning
The objector, International Pole and Line Foundation, raised a number of concerns. It claimed that shark finning was systematically taking place within the fishery. It also claimed that the fishery was having a significant impact on silky sharks. The Independent Adjudicator has dismissed both of these claims.
The MSC banned the practice of shark finning from the programme from 2013. The PNA governments also implemented their own ban on shark finning, and the practice of shark finning has been virtually eliminated in PNA waters over the past few years. Shark finning now only happens in isolated cases and prosecutions have been brought against these occurrences with fines being levied on the perpetrators. As part of the auditor’s recommendations, the PNA will need to continue to demonstrate that prosecutions and enforcement actions are maintained within the fishery.
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