FOS certification of yellowfin tuna from the Indian Ocean will be suspended in consideration of the latest IOTC stock assessment concluding that the species is overfished.
Yellowfin caught after December 31st, 2016 will be certified FOS only in case the FOS approved fleets will be found in compliance with IOTC’s advices (including 20% reduction of 2014 catch levels).
“Friend of the Sea standard requires target stocks to be fished within Maximum Sustainable Yield and this is why the yellowfin certification has to be suspended.” explains Paolo Bray, director of Friend of the Sea “FOS fleets must show catches reductions in line with IOTC’s advice, in order to lead the fishery in the Indian Ocean towards a faster stock recovery.”
For more information:
Friend of the Sea
Friend of the Sea is an international certification program for products from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. Over 500 companies in more than 50 countries have relied on Friend of the Sea to assess the sustainability of their seafood origins. Audits, based on best and most updated available scientific data, are run by accredited independent certification bodies.
www.friendofthesea.org
info@friendofthesea.org
Source: Friend of the Sea
