PNA Names New Chief Executive

The 8 Pacific Island nations that are the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) have appointed a new Chief Executive to head their PNA Office (PNAO). Dr. Sangaalofa Clark will be replacing Ludwig Kumoru who was CEO for the last four years.

Dr. Sangaalofa Clark has worked as the Policy Manager for the PNA, coordinating the VDS program, for the last eight years, and has a background in biological science, mathematics, computational modeling, plus a PhD in systems biology.

We thank the Ludwig Kumoru for his work and achievements in particular his dedication to the sustainable management of the PNA region and its tuna fishery. We warmly welcome the new leadership of Dr. Sangaalofa Clark and look forward to a strong collaboration.

USA: MSC Canned Tuna Snapshot 2020

The North American landscape is changing drastically and rapidly. US grocery stores have started to introduce MSC certified canned tuna products as low as 0.68 USD per can, a truly revolutionary move that showcases the progression of MSC canned tuna becoming the norm, heading towards the “mainstream market”.

Pacifical has been closely observing the recent developments of the US market with great interest. Since we are here to support your tuna sustainability ambitions, we thought you would find it interesting to learn about significant positive movement in the US market regarding MSC canned tuna. Our team has summarized it in a snapshot, we hope you find it useful.

Click here to access the USA: MSC Canned Tuna Snapshot.

PNA Extension Of Temporary Suspension Of Observer Coverage In…

PNA Members have extended the temporary suspension of requirements for 100% observer coverage in the MSC Certified purse seine fishery in PNA waters in response to COVID-19 conditions until the 31^st of October 2020.

Click here to see the full PNA announcement.

The PNA nations have the observers’ best interest at heart. Protecting the health and safety of their local communities and observers is top priority. There are currently a few observers who have not been able to be repatriated due to PNA is currently working difficulties arising from port closures and air travel restrictions. Vessel operators are required to work closely with the observer to ensure the observers’ welfare and arrange repatriation as soon as this may be possible

PNA Members continue to review the need for responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes the development of protocols, standards and procedures to enable observers and others to operate safely, and possible alternative measures to address the loss of opportunity for SIDS observers.

PNA Press Release: The actions of a desperate Man…

PNA PRESS RELEASE – JULY 3, 2020 – The global tuna trade is a multi-billion dollar sector and the small PNA island nations whose waters deliver half the globally supply of skipjack tuna for canning have been constantly attacked because of the commercial interests of 1 person. He is sponsoring the opposition against the development aspirations of our islands, for his personal gain.

This occurs when PNA is having the only tropical fishery which has all stocks healthy and in the green, achieved the first and largest MSC certified free school tuna fishery in the world, trades the MSC certified catch globally with the PNA region’s Pacifical Geographical indication on each can, and all backed with 100% observer coverage at sea. Our small vulnerable island economies take sustainability very seriously with few other options to them and maintain the highest social standards within our fishery . This is an area where there is zero tolerance for abuse.

In recent years tuna products from our small islands have penetrated the Australian, UK and EU markets where there is increasingly demand for sustainably sourced and certified tuna at realistic prices.

Obviously this has impacted traditional suppliers to these markets, like Mr John Burton CEO and main shareholder of World Wise Foods, in UK, who build a trading empire, upon supplying Pole & Line caught tuna from the Indian Ocean. Ironically these are fisheries in an ocean where today yellowfin is declared overfished and where there are worries over skipjack. Most of this pole and line fishing is premised upon FADS targeting juveniles, it relies on bait fishing practices which are widely considered unsustainable, and which sees many associated crew deaths. This is a fishery with little or no observer coverage at sea, and in a region where domestic human rights abuses are common place according to the Human Rights Watch.

It is therefore ironic, that in our region, where he has no ongoing business, we are continually targeted by groups or people associated with Burton. It can be through lawyers, Queens counsels, journalists, politicians, media consultants, celebrities, media and associated NGO groups like International Pole and Line foundation [IPLNF] , On The Hook [OTH] , Make Stewardship Count [MSC], etc. These are all perhaps naively supporting, the ongoing smear campaigns, clearly targeted to disrupt and discredit the PNA nations, their aspirations and initiatives.

Examples:

• IPLNF sponsored a Queens counsel to challenge the PNA MSC re-certification in an adjudication hearing in New York, where all 24 allegations were dismissed. – Sponsored questions in the UK parliament, leading to a select committee. The misinformation had Ministers understanding that the PNA was a corporation, rather than a grouping of small Pacific island nations. All but 3 countries are under the British Commonwealth, with several nations having less than 10,000 people. It is encouraging that this hearing asked pertinent questions over the sources of funding and the commercial interests of the sponsor.
• Challenges to eco-labeling on canned tuna in Holland when the leading brand “Princes” swapped from pole and line to the more affordable Pacifical MSC certified tuna. The advertisement board of the Netherlands finally overturned his objections and the tribunal dismissed the case.

The latest move after several years of commercially motivated threats and extortion, directly targeting retailers, brands, MSC, and others working with our islands region, is in our view absolutely disgraceful, totally unacceptable and clearly the action of a very desperate man.

A new attack this time riding upon the recent untimely death of an observer from Kiribati on duty at sea. A death which is still under formal investigation by the coroner. The last few days we have been confronted with an “information paper “that was circulated. This paper is full of mis-info and distortions of facts over various deaths over many years and other allegations. Some of them did not even take place in our PNA region. These aspersions have been sent to leading retailers, brands and NGOs globally, in effect black mailing and threatening them and their image, should they continue to support PNA Pacifical MSC.

Parallel to this, this group has openly seen fit to sponsor an independent investigation by the UK organization Human Rights At Sea (HRAS) into this recent observer death. Drawing upon media and often out of context NGO commentaries, and surprisingly even before the police investigation has been concluded.

We welcome and support any genuine initiatives to help our people. However we note there are other regions globally where there is much more serious concern in regard to sustainability and social issues within the tuna fisheries, and where observers are still lacking on vessels.

In conclusion we treat with distain the vile and unethical tactics of Mr John Burton. ‘Someone who has seen it fit to interfere in our regions affairs and disrupt our people’s aspirations and our children’s future. Clearly this is being driven by his own commercial interest and personal gain, not the care for our people.

I wish to conclude in saying that the likes of Mr John Burton and associates have no role in our region and are not welcome!

Ludwig Kumoru
CEO PNA
3rd July 2020

Join Pacifical In Celebrating World Oceans Day

Today we – as Pacifical team – invite you to celebrate WORLD OCEANS DAY together with us:
Today we celebrate the beauty, the wealth and the promise of the ocean.

The ocean feeds us, regulates our climate and contains such fragile ecosystems, many of which are undiscovered.

Tuna is one of the world’s main ocean species and our Pacifical people within our PNA island nations depend every single day on the ocean around them and the tuna within it.

Our people live on thousands of small islands and atolls, making up our 8 PNA nations and 1 territory – Large Ocean States – who combined are managing and taking care together of an earth surface 40% bigger than Europe.

Working on Ocean sustainability is for our people not a matter of choice, but it is a matter of pure survival. Every man, woman and child are on the receiving end daily when it comes to the consequences of Global warming, plastic pollution and the dangers of depletion and over exploitation of ocean resources and ecosystems. Our island people can’t sail away to greener fields.

This year’s theme: Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean, is relating to the introduction of new concepts, methods, ideas,or products. This theme fills us with hope. As Pacifical and PNA nations we aredaily working on impactful innovations that we can apply and turn into long-lasting solutions for our Pacific ocean and our people‘s future.

Small Island Nations – Large Ocean States – Smart Ocean States

Our Pacifical shareholders, the people of the PNA, strongly focus and often lead globally on introducing new innovations in technology, resource management, and tuna consumer market development. The PNA nations make the hard decisions not seen in the high seas areas, because they can and do care, it is not driven by cash economics of the west, but rather cultural, led by tradition and our oneness with the environment.

2021 to 2030 will become the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development – UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development – and we hope you will along with us greatly support that!

Pacifical reaction to Press Release by FIA on June…

On June 2^nd Mr. Sylvester Pokajam who is the President of the Fishery Industry Association in Papua New Guinea ( PNG), sent out a press release in which the following statement was included:

Quote: “We don’t support the manner in which the PNA MSC / Pacifical has gone ahead to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to not place observer on purse seiners for their MSC trips. In our opinion, the MSC office should suspend the PNA MSC trip for the observer waiver till 31 July 2020” Unquote

We find it particularly disappointing that Mr. Pokajam is now trying to score points over this pandemic threat with apparent disregard for the efforts of his country and the region to ensure the safety of observers, boat crews and the populous. In these times of pandemic.

Care for the health and well-being of our observers and fishing crews, the people that make MSC certified fishing within the PNA possible,have always been at the forefront of our Pacifical decision making. We are dealing within our MSC scheme with over 200 purse seiners which do not just land their fish in PNG ( as with the FIA ) but in transshipment ports and designated zones all throughout the PNA, in small island ports,  affecting close to 6,000 crew and observers at sea and the many small island economies.

PNA and Pacifical need to take into account the risks of a pandemic spreading in remote communities with limited resources and healthcare facilities. Therefore the comparison between the FIA-MSC fishery and the PNA-MSC fishery is not based on equal grounds.

It should be understood that the FIA is talking in name of the industry members, not the PNG government and not the country’s National Fisheries Authority.

To prevent confusion we would like to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the developments and measures taken :

The 8 PNA member countries including the PNG government, concerned over the threat of the virus to their nations and nationals resolved to suspend the requirement for 100% mandatory observer on -board coverage following concerns of each nation over the safety and welfare of their observers and nationals at sea. This in addition to lock downs of their ports and a ban on inter island flights. This is not a 100% end on observer coverage, because many of them are still at sea, but no longer mandatory 100% as with no flights and closures it is not practical.

The discussions began as early as February with many islands already starting to put COVID restrictions in ports including restricting travel from listed origins and temperature checks. For example the PNA’s largest transshipment port Majuro, on the Republic of the Marshalls Islands (RMI) sent out a notice about corona measures on the 2nd of February – 4 months ago.

Less than 2 weeks later the PNG NFA (National Fisheries Authority) circular 3/2020 of 13^th Feb restricted operations to protect the port and people, also those on FIA associated vessels. On March 8th the RMI implemented a total travel ban halting the ability to place and repatriate observers from vessels arriving in this essential port. Each island nation moving to protect its nationals.  On the 23rd of March the PNG NFA circular 9/2020, also suspended observer and inspections on all vessels, also including those of FIA members.

The result was to extend all observer stays on board, while studying options to maintaining 100% coverage as is required in light of safety of the islands nations and people and how to deal with the lack of air services.

Formal meetings by PNA officials explored options and legal implications from the 24th – 27th March, resulting in a resolution by all 8 +1 nations ( PNA+Tokelau) to suspend mandatory 100% observer coverage, but to not restrict any national programme wishing and to maintain any  observers at sea, and also requirement to repatriate any observers to their home ports when possible. It was decided that this temporary decision would be reviewed on 31^st May 2020.

After talks between the PNA and the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the FFA adopted the same resolutions and on April 3rd wrote to the RFMO, the WCPFC (Western Central Pacific Fishing Commision) informing them of the decision taken. On the 8th of April the WCPFC adopted identical resolutions and suspended the observer requirements  in the WCPFC  until 31^st May 2020.

At the end of last month the WCPFC , FFA and PNA extended their corona measures to the 31st of July 2020, as  found in the decision marked WCPFC 2020/46.

The worries over the well- being of observers and the socio-economic impact of COVID 19 on them and the entire fishery and the small vulnerable island economies made the PNA last month contract an independent study with monthly follow ups to monitor and manage the impacts.

The MSC Chain of Custody (CoC) standards do not require observers to monitor the fishery. However the PNA MSC COC is unique in that it uses observers from PNA national programs to validate any claims for MSC eligibility, this among many other multi layered controls which are now enhanced to compensate.

Faced with the COVID 19 restrictions by the nations, fearing that the virus would enter their virus free island nations  and genuine concerns over observers, the PNA worked together with their CAB (Conformity Assessment Body) and   varied the MSC COC scheme, to ensure absolute confidence in the MSC claims in the event that  no observer coverage could be accommodated in these extreme conditions. 

Within 48 hours after the PNA had suspended the observer requirement,  the PNA MSC variation on its MSC CoC was approved on 29^th March 2020 detailing how it would maintain the integrity of its strict CoC which is above and beyond the MSC standard…

Having shared these facts with you, we hope you can determine what Mr. Pokajam’s  statement is worth. It should be understood that he may reflect the commercial interests of a few, BUT he is not talking for the PNG government nor the country’s National Fisheries Authority nor their commitments to regional initiatives through PNA, FFA or WCPFC.

Covid-19 has had a great impact on all areas of the world in a range of different sectors, together with MSC we have made sure the PNA nations and our observers are safe while still meeting the compliance challenges  due to the pandemic and meanwhile  continuing to ensure the supply of high quality sustainable wild tuna through Pacifical

The PNA island nations are some of the last places in the world which remain un infected by the virus, and their governments are determined to protect their people from the risks of exposure. If you have any more questions after reading this do not hesitate to get in touch with our Pacifical Team through email info@pacifical.com.

Pacifical Honors Kiribati Tuna Observer Eritara Aati Kaierua

We as Pacifical PNA have been deeply saddened by the news of the death of one of our fellow countryman, Eritara Aati Kaierua from Kiribati, whilst working as a PNA MSC trained observer on board of the Taiwanese purse seiner Win Far No. 636. Our prayers, thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family.

Our PNA people have few resources and have taken on the vital task of daily caring, managing and closely monitoring their tropical tuna, caught by many vessels from foreign nations in our waters – an area that covers a surface 40% larger than Europe. The fact that the tunas in our waters are acknowledged as the healthiest and most sustainable globally, is a tribute to people like Eritara Aati Kaierua. Eritara who was part of a team of over 800 men and women observers, who cover 100% of purse seine operations by living on board, diligently observing and reporting on all fishing and on-board activity. Something hardly seen in EU or UK waters or in fact any other tuna RFMO globally.

Although not policemen, being on board comes at tremendous risk for observers. A sometimes dangerous and often challenging duty. These PNA citizens are away from their families for months at a time to fulfill their mission of custodians. Their work is vital in helping ensure that the tuna catch operations meet the MSC standard – the world’s highest standard for sustainable wild fishing.

Upon news of the tragedy and pending police investigations, PNA had immediately suspended the Win Far No. 636 from our MSC scheme, any catch from this vessel cannot become PNA MSC eligible.

We trust that the Kiribati authorities will do their utmost to determine the exact cause of death, and in case of a crime prosecute those responsible. Our team is following this very closely.

In the meantime, our observers will continue to be our eyes and ears at sea. They also report on social issues, however, we need to do more at a national level to enforce national laws, effect international social standards on purse seiners, and improve observer communications while at sea. We have fast-tracked a project to upgrade our current on-board Pacifical social guidelines for crews towards an enforceable standard for all at sea crew or observers. This will be subject to regular onboard audits.

We greatly appreciate, the dedicated efforts of PNA observers who work on about 250 purse seiners in the waters of our PNA Islands nations and in our ports, and we are thankful for all the media and NGO attention to this tragic event. We invite you to visit our observer page at pacifical.com/observers-voice and share it on your social media accounts.

COVID-19: PNA announces MSC CoC Temporary Variation on Observer…

In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the PNA countries and Pacifical have implemented a temporary variation to its chain of custody (CoC) to reflect the unprecedented force majeure situation the world is currently facing.

“The PNA nations are extremely small and vulnerable island economies. In order to maintain virus-free status, rigid quarantine measures have had to be implemented to protect the health of the people and all parties involved in the supply of sustainable MSC certified Pacifical tuna at-sea.  Utmost attention has been paid to preserving the integrity and validation of the PNA COC scheme with full traceability, and maintaining consistency in supply” Says Maurice Brownjohn, MSC Manager and Commercial Director to the PNA.

Variation on the 100% observer Coverage Requirement: The PNA COC scheme is recognized as being above and beyond MSC CoC standards.

Besides the MSC requirements, the PNA CoC scheme requires parallel data streams from industry and compliance sources from pre-trip to the processor. All discharged loads are checked for species composition, mass balances are verified and other validations are conducted before an “MSC Eligible” batch of tuna may be certified as “MSC” and continue on in the PACIFICAL supply chain.

With inter-island flights suspended and ports closed, 100% placement of physical onboard observers has been temporarily suspended. A measure reflected now by the WCP tuna commission for the entire fishery. The PNA and Pacifical completely support all precautionary temporary measures taken to protect the health of all members across the chain.

All other aspects of the PNA CoC are maintained, further enhanced by additional mandatory measures. Daily E-reporting via satellite of regional purse seine logsheets and detailed discharge reports from receiving facilities are now compulsory in addition to physical monitoring where possible. These discharge reports must be supported by photographic evidence.

Reaction of SCS Global Services (Certification Assessment Body for PNA).

“In response to the agreement of WCPFC and members to temporarily suspend the requirements for observer coverage on purse seine vessels, SCS was provided with and reviewed documentation of a temporary variation to the MSC CoC Policies of the client for the PNA’s MSC CoC certificate (MSC-C-53088). SCS finds this documented provision acceptable and that PNA’s activities related to internal audits remain in compliance with the MSC CoC requirements for vessels already part of the CoC certificate through the end of the proposed suspension.” – Said Jason Swecker, Director Sales and Marketing – Seafood. SCS Global Services (Certification Assessment Body for PNA).

Pacifical partners can rest assured that our multilayer checks and balances will remain in place to ensure that the full integrity of our un-paralleled chain of custody is kept intact. All other PNA MSC CoC requirements will remain unchanged. This includes double netting to segregate MSC eligible catches onboard and in transit, MSC signage, consistent physical segregation of all MSC certified and non-MSC batches and records of all movements in the supply chain.

“Our Pacifical CoC offers also offers a blockchain platform for extra verification until the finished MSC tuna products reach final market. This is backed by the Ethereum blockchain, giving our partners and their customers’ unrivalled traceability and confidence for their MSC certified tuna products carrying the Pacifical Geographical Indication.” Said Brownjohn.