Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery recertified as sustainable
The Eastern Tuna and Billfish Fishery (ETBF) has been recertified to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Standard for sustainable fishing for the third time.
This continues more than ten years of third-party certification against the internationally recognised standard.
The certificate covers yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna, albacore tuna and swordfish, and complements our MSC-certified southern bluefin tuna.
The recertification is a huge win for industry, says Tuna Australia CEO David Ellis.
“It reflects the considerable work undertaken by industry to maintain the management, monitoring, reporting and sustainability standards that underpin the fishery.
“With more retailers and consumers turning to sustainable seafood, our members are in a strong position to access and expand markets here in Australia and abroad.”
Fishing responsibly along Australia's east coast
The ETBF extends along Australia’s east coast, from Cape York to waters around Tasmania.
The fishery includes waters in several Australian Marine Parks, including the 1-million-square-kilometre Coral Sea Marine Park and Lord Howe Marine Park.
Currently, 24 ETBF fishing vessels hold the MSC certificate and are Tuna Australia members.
Ellis said the recertification shows how commercial fishing and marine conservation can work together.
It validates that fishers are guardians of the ocean and that fishing in marine parks can be done responsibly.
The ETBF is managed under a strict quota system, with each operator holding or leasing a share of the total allowable catch.
“The government has set a strict quota system. Each operator has a share of the total allowable catch based on how much quota they own, or lease in from other fishers,” said Ellis.
Protecting fish for future generations
The recertification was issued by bio.inspecta, the independent assessment body.
“We assessed the ETBF against the MSC Fisheries Standard to ensure it meets requirements relating to sustainable fish stocks, minimal environmental impact, and a responsive management system,” said Sascha Brand-Gardner, Program Manager MSC Fisheries, bio.inspecta.
bio.inspecta is delighted to confirm the re-certification of ETBF, showing it is a well-managed and sustainable fishery.”
Anne Gabriel, MSC Program Director Oceania & Singapore, congratulated Tuna Australia and their members for their ongoing sustainability record.
“Getting certified is a milestone. Staying certified is the bigger story, because stewardship is what happens in all the years that follow.
More than a decade after first achieving MSC certification, these fishers continue to trust in the science and open themselves to independent scrutiny."
There is no finish line in sustainable fishing, said Gabriel.
“Fish stocks and ocean conditions change, science advances and our understanding improves,” she said.
“Annual surveillance and five-yearly reassessments mean fisheries must respond to that evidence, adapt where needed and demonstrate that their management remains fit for the future.
“Australia has much to be proud of in the way its fisheries are managed, and achievements like this never belong to one organisation alone. Tuna Australia and its members deserve enormous credit for doing exactly that.”