FCF To Land First MSC Skipjack For PNG Processing

We are excited to announce FCF’s first landings of MSC certified skipjack in the PNA region; MSC certified tuna caught in PNA waters, processed by the PNA people.

This first lot of MSC certified skipjack landed in Wewak by FCF weighs a total of 290 metric tons and will be processed at South Seas Tuna Corporation (SSTC), a subsidiary of FCF in Papua New Guinea. The eligible MSC fish was caught in the waters of the Marshall Islands under the strict standards of the PNA MSC certification scheme.

We are pleased to count on the support of social and economic development that FCF places on the PNA Nations. All canned products processed from FCF’s eligible raw material will display the Pacifical logo in representation of FCF’s commitment towards the PNA people, the appreciation for managing and preserving their ocean ecosystem for years to come, while highlighting the origin of the PNA MSC-certified tuna.

FCF CEO, WH Lee says that the firm has been “a fisheries leader in the PNA region for more than 30 years. This investment advances our production and sustainable operations capabilities while adding up to 700 additional labor jobs in Wewak.

“SSTC plans to invest USD 3.5 million in capital expenditures to increase its production capacity to 160 metric tons per day.”

SSTC is enthusiastic to start processing sustainable fish at the PNG headquarters. They recognize that this environmental approach and strategic partnerships with local leaders will not only be a boost the Wewak economy, but also help to ensure a sustainable and plentiful fishery for Pacific island nations for generations to come.

We look forward to continue having more landings of Pacifical MSC certified skipjack in the PNA region and carry on this sustainable and social driven partnership for the development of the region and its people. We’ll keep you posted on the development!

Satellite Connected Tablet Revolutionizes PNA Observer Work

Observers working aboard tuna vessels fishing in the largest single skipjack resource in the world are set to begin full scale trials for Electronic Catch Documentation Systems (eCDS), which will make catch data reporting much more timely and efficient.

The Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) has announced its decision to start eCDS trials for onboard fisheries observers, following successful trials in member states’ PNG and the Marshall Islands. The systems, via the use of android tablets and satellite reporting, are expected to significantly increase the quality, reliability, and timeliness of information collected by observers, thus helping considerably towards the management of tuna stocks.

Until now, data reporting has been on paper, and has usually taken months or even years to be made available for analysis and review, but by seamlessly merging with other electronic systems, the eCDS should vastly improve the timeliness of data reporting. The systems make use of a Fisheries Information Management System (iFIMS) tablet and Observer App.

The eCDS technology, designed by Australian firm Quick Access Computing, is being trialedalongside other electronic system based projects managed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), which is now working with electronic log sheets, overseeing an e-reporting longline project, and establishing e-reporting officers throughout SPC member countries.

International NGO WWF, which contributed to the financing of these systems, has welcomed the decision, stating that “this ground-breaking project exemplifies the PNA members’ progressive and proactive attitude toward achieving sustainability of the region’s highly lucrative and socially important tuna fisheries.”

One tuna trader, speaking to atuna.com, expressed his reservations: “You can record and monitor whatever you want, put a camera at every traffic light and connect it straight to the police station, the question is: 1.- Will you fine every violator and when? 2.- Will you collect the penalties? 3.- Will it be done in a fair, just and transparent manner? Once those procedures are guaranteed through legislation and manpower in place, with enforcement being executed swiftly, these tablets can be a powerful tool.”

He continued by stating that “as far as management is concerned, if these nations receiving catch data, also take it upon themselves to protect their stocks and do not wait for RFMOs to do it for them, there could be an advantage. But again, it all depends on well trained manpower available to analyze the data and PNA states to act on it swiftly. Otherwise it will be merely another nice toy.”

How To Secure The Most Important Food And Money…

As of today, scientists, resource managers, researchers, fishermen and NGOs will be joining together for a three day long workshop on the future management of Pacific fisheries, at the SPC headquarters in Nouméa, New Caledonia; an effort to secure one of the most important food and income sources for Pacific island people. The outcomes of the meeting could also possibly affect high seas industrial tuna fishing.

The main focus of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) initiative? To establish the role of communities in coastal fisheries and resource management, and how community-based action can help towards addressing food security and the livelihoods of Pacific people.

The workshop forum, titled ‘the Future of coastal/inshore fisheries management’, is set to run until Thursday; 24 member nations will be there, and the discussions will center on the communal management of over 30 million square kilometers of ocean resource; a resource which provides around 50 percent of the income of coastal families, and makes up 50 to 60 percent of their dietary protein intake. In this region, per capita consumption of tuna and other fish reaches three to five times higher than the global average.

As one of the largest Pacific meetings set for 2015, the forum will also discuss: stock assessments; the need for standardized data collection for coastal fisheries and aquaculture; SPC scientific research on tuna and other species; the potential of deep-water snapper; a long-term strategy for training fisheries observers; and EU support for Pacific fisheries.

For the industrial tuna fishing fleets the outcome of this science-based meeting will be of great importance too, since they have often been identified by NGOs and local communities as being responsible for declining coastal tuna catches.

The SPC’s Fisheries Director, Moses Amos, says: “With coastal fisheries, the results of good management, or lack of it, have long-term impacts at the national level, while for highly migratory oceanic fisheries resources like tuna, fisheries management in one country’s waters has impacts that can be felt within the region and beyond.”

Join Pacifical Next Week at the Global Seafood Expo…

Our Pacifical team is excited to announce its attendance to the Global Seafood Exposition in Brussels next week!

Come and join our team for a nice warm coffee / tea at our stand: We will have our own booth within the Papua New Guinea National Fisheries Authority Pavilion Hall 8 Booth 4543. This would be a great opportunity to get together to catch up on MSC sustainable free school skipjack tuna caught in the waters of the PNA, discuss business, bring you up to speed with our latest developments and talk over what Pacifical can offer you!

Please drop by even if it is just to say hello!!! Your presence will do us great honor.

Pacifical Applauds Call for Certified FAD-Free To Stop Fraud

Maurice Brownjohn, Director of Pacifical, applauds CEPESCA and Spanish members of the European Parliament for actively calling on independently certified FAD free tuna.

“Under these conditions (the current self-certification system), FAD-free certification by the captain himself would be presumed to be false” said Javier Garat, the Secretary General of CEPESCA and President of Europeche.

Pacifical fully agrees that FAD – Free catch should require a very stringent chain of custody (COC), as well as an independent third party certification to validate and corroborate sustainable fishing practices. The Marine Stewardship Council COC meets that requirement, and only in this way consumers can be certain that what they buy is actually what it’s claimed. Self-certification cannot deliver this with the surety demanded.

Experiences over the last 20 years with captain’s self-certification in the tuna sector has extensively proven to be too sensitive to fraudulent declarations, which has led to wide deployment of on-board observers for compliance.

We strongly believe that precautionary action for enhanced sustainability measures should not be deferred for more and more studies, seeking to find out whether the tuna stock can really be damaged or that promotion of FAD free suddenly stops because it is bad news for the tuna fishing industry, especially those fleets dependent on FADs.

So far all scientific data and research points to higher incidental catches on FADs of bigeye tuna, juvenile tuna and other non-target species including sharks. The excessive use of FADs currently presents an inevitable potential growth of the negative effect on these vulnerable non target stocks.

So we invite retailers and consumers around the world to choose for MSC certified tuna; free school or pole and line. If not available, FAD-free with a solid and independently certified COC would be a good alternative; which prevents mixing sustainable tuna with FAD caught fish on-board the purse seiner, the carrier vessel and / or at the cannery. The fact is that if these systems are fully applied, the cost for non-MSC and MSC tuna would almost become equal, and the cost of meaningful and valid separation are not a significant cost compared to potential returns.

European, North American and Australian markets have shown a keen interest in MSC certified free school, which is caught FAD free. We congratulate their commitments and look forward to continue cooperating with sustainability, transparency and traceability in each one of the markets for Pacifical MSC skipjack tuna from PNA waters.

Exciting News! FCF seiners started their First MSC trips

Just a quick note to inform you that vessels operating in cooperation with FCF have already started MSC trips within the PNA waters. In about 6 to 8 weeks, these managed seiners are expected to land certified tonnage meeting the Pacifical MSC qualified fish. We are extremely happy to see our partnership strengthening day by day at a very fast and effective pace.

The first FCF-associated fishing purse seiner to operate under the Marine Stewardship Council sustainability standards disembarked port Thursday January 22nd, with 2 additional vessels sailing days after. There are now three (3) fully trained seiners navigating the PNA Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) under the agreement between the companies with an additional, thirteen (13) boats under intense training before joining the MSC COC protocol and engaging in MSC qualified trips in the near future.

With more than 60 FCF-associated fishing vessels now preparing for MSC certification, this cooperation could eventually yield more than 200,000 metric tons of certified tuna, effectively meeting the needs of the consumer markets with a growing need for sustainable caught FADFREE fish.

Keep you posted on the development.

FCF Signs MOU with Pacifical on MSC Certified Free…

We are happy to announce the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between PNA – Pacifical and the largest tuna supplier in the Western Pacific Ocean, Fong Chun Formosa Fishery Company, Ltd. (FCF) covering their latest processing investment in PNG. The MOU signed represents the beginning of a strong and mutually beneficial partnership, as well as FCF’s legitimate demonstration of leadership. FCF’s decision highlights the importance of implementing sustainable fishing practices to conserve tuna stocks, avoid harming other marine species and protect the overall ocean ecosystem. As one of the largest marine products trading companies, FCF is committed to being at the forefront of sustainability fishing practices, maintaining the highest Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) strict standards while trading skipjack tuna from the Pacific Island Nations (PNA).

“With this agreement along our other MOUs, associated processors and with our 60 committed vessels in our supply chain platform, FCF will be the largest solution provider of PNAO/MSC tuna from ‘Ocean to Table,’ said FCF CEO WH Lee. “This truly is an exciting development—and 2015 has just begun.”

Over the next few weeks, PNA and Pacifical will be working together with FCF in ensuring smooth delivery of MSC to the consumer’s table, of what is anticipated to be up to 200,000 M/T of MSC skipjack.

“Combining their associated fleet’s MSC certification under our PNA/Pacifical program is what sets it up for success,” said Commercial Manager of PNA Fisheries Maurice Brownjohn. “This is truly a significant partnership in the spirit of regional development as envisioned by the Ministers of Pacific Island Nations.”

We are thrilled to count with FCF as a key commercial and strategic partner on PNA MSC certified tuna and continue to strongly encourage other industry stakeholders to also join us on this sustainable mission. Together we hold an enormous responsibility; to preserve our tuna stocks for generations to come. We look forward to what lies ahead of our cooperation and are very excited to start supplying the world with MSC certified tuna caught by FCF vessels in the waters of the Parties of the Nauru Agreement.

Pacifical Welcomes Tri Marine Adoption of MSC Assessment

Last week we warmly welcomed the news about Tri Marine’s fleet entering into the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) full assessment for its US treaty fleet, especially in areas beyond the waters of the PNA. This marks an unprecedented move by Tri Marine and we are thrilled to see the industry consolidating efforts for a more sustainable tuna stock and more environmentally responsible fishing methods in the broader Western Central Pacific. These initiatives ensure that our highly fecund and fast growing tuna will remain providing us with healthy food for long generations to come. 

“MSC commends companies like Tri Marine who share the important value of sustainability and transparency by putting themselves under the microscope of the MSC assessment process,” explained Bill Holden, Pacific Fisheries Outreach Manager at MSC. “If this fleet proves itself sustainable to the world’s most rigorous standard for sustainability, it will then qualify to use our MSC eco-label.” 

The PNA countries look forward to continue to work closely with Tri Marine’s global operation on existing initiatives to catch skipjack tuna in PNA waters under our existing unassociated free schools, fully FAD free MSC certification to process and deliver it to the market with the Pacifical logo. It means a lot to the PNA nations to finally see the tuna industry fishing in their waters coming together and working towards better fishing practices. We encourage the industry to continue carrying on such initiatives to let the world know the true benefits that sustainable fishing brings. 

Henk Brus, Managing Director of Pacifical welcomes the start of a close cooperation between Tri Marine’s fleet and Pacifical on getting MSC tuna to retailers, food service operators and food processors looking for independently certified FAD free. “Tri Marine’s pacific purse seiner fleet along with its carriers and its wide involvement in the distribution process will fulfil an important role to deliver sustainable caught MSC skipjack to consumer plates worldwide, as well as creating awareness among consumers about the origin of this great healthy wild fish; the pristine waters of the PNA people ”. 

Pacifical on a Sustainable Journey with South Pacific Tuna…

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we announce our cooperation with South Pacific Tuna Corporation (SOPAC) on Pacifical MSC skipjack tuna from the PNA waters. Last week SOPAC, PNAO and Pacifical have endorsed their commitments towards maintaining the highest sustainability standards with the signature of a memorandum of understanding (MOU). We feel extremely privileged to be active participants of the first public commitment to MSC sustainable fishing practices by a U.S. Distant Water Tuna Fleet.

SOPAC’s decision to join Pacifical and the PNA nations on this sustainable journey illustrates the growing relevance of implementing sustainable fishing practices certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. “The US Fleet is considered a Global leader in promoting environmental standards with strict adherence to regulations,” said South Pacific Tuna Corporation Executive Director and Global Fleets partner J. Douglas Hines. “Hopefully, more members of the Distant Water Tuna Fleet will adopt similar sustainability practices and together work toward a sustainable fish stock and diverse ecosystem.”

Maurice Brownjohn, Commercial Manager of PNA fisheries said, “As world leaders in tuna conservation and management, this is a great development. We look forward to working closely with The Global Fleets in promoting tuna that is sustainability harvested in our waters to ensure that we will have continued supply for future generations.”

At Pacifical we believe in direct correlation between caring for a sustainable ocean ecosystem and caring for those who manage the resource every day. In the efforts to support and promote the PNA region, all eligible raw material caught by South Pacific Tuna vessels will display the Pacifical logo when it reaches the final customer. We applaud and acknowledge SOPAC’s unquestionable step of leadership in PNA tuna sustainability and the social accountability, and highly encourage other fleets to also join us with SOPAC on this sustainable journey.

Is Pacifical now open to business with every company?

We continue to receive a lot of questions from companies interested in starting business with us on our MSC free school skipjack tuna from the PNA, and some are having problems to understand why we simply do not offer it to every company interested immediately.

The reality is that we will not be able to supply all those interested companies, simply for the reason that we will have to build supply gradually. In the beginning, the volume of our MSC catches and our production capacity will not be sufficient to satisfy all the demand, and to make sure that every customer -once started with us- has continuity and reliably supply, we have to be diligent.

For this reason, Pacifical has chosen to initially cooperate only with one major player in each country within the following 3 market segments: retail, food service and food processing. We selected our initial partners in marketing our MSC Pacifical co-branded business based on the following characteristics:

• A strong proven dedication to seafood sustainability and MSC products
• A large market share and significant volumes of tuna handled, within their national segment, preferably with established private labels
• A willingness to promote the PNA origin, where the tuna was caught and processed, by adding our Pacifical logo as a co-brand on their products.

So far we have concluded exclusive partnership agreements with leading retailers, food service providers and food processors in the most important Western European markets and Australia. Negotiations in North America are still ongoing.

It is important for you to know that all these partnership agreements are only valid for the 18 months from the moment that the supply starts to that specific partner. We believe that within the coming 1,5 years, we will have established a reliable and continuous supply for each of our partners. Only once we have established that, we will be ready to take on new customers and to widen our distribution.