Area 51 (Indian Ocean, Western)

Overview

This FIP concentrates on the stocks of the following species: Karikkadi shrimp (Parapenaeopsis stylifera), Poovalan shrimp (Metapenaeus dobsoni), cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis), squid (Uroteuthis duvaucelli), and octopus (Amphioctopus neglectus, A. marginatus). For the pre-assessment, the management unit is the stock of these five species found in Kerala coastal waters. 

The fishing gear for this FIP is trawls. The fishery is a mixed fishery, targeting shrimp, cephalopods and fish. Shrimp trawls use a different (smaller) cod-end to the fish and cephalopod trawls (see regulations below). The cephalopod trawl uses the same mesh size as the fish trawl but is reportedly rigged slightly off-bottom, by adjusting the rigging of doors; in fact, it is rigged somewhat differently for each target species of cephalopod. Cephalopods are also targeted in shrimp trawls rigged to have a high opening. Vessels may carry several trawls on board. Fishing trips last three to four days at the beginning of the season (August/Sept) and can increase up to 15 days later in the season (April/May), depending on the storage, ice and fuel capacity of the vessel.

The responsibility for marine fisheries in India is shared between the National (Central) and State governments. The national legal framework in India gives individual States control of the seas and living marine resources up to 12 nautical miles (nm) from the shore, while the Central Government has control from 12 nm to the 200 nm exclusive economic zone (EEZ) boundary. Although this fishery operates inside and outside 12 nm, management jurisdiction in practice is with the Kerala fisheries department. There is however a potential for the stocks under assessment to be shared with neighbouring states, i.e., Karnataka, and also the central government, if the stocks’ ranges extend past the 12 nm demarcation.

According to the World Bank (2010) report, there are five major legal instruments of the Central government that directly govern marine fisheries and activities:

  • The Indian Fisheries Act, 1897;
  • Marine Products Export Development Authority Act 1972 (No. 13 of 1972);
  • The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Act, 1981 (No. 42 of 1981);
  • The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Rules, 1982;
  • The Operation of Deep Sea Fishing Vessels, 20m OAL and above, Notifications dated 14 December 2006.

State legislation is based on a model Act prepared by the central government in 1979 (World Bank, 2010) with each State developing its own marine fisheries legislation to manage fisheries in their respective area. In Kerala State, fisheries management is guided by the Kerala Marine Fishing Regulation Act, 1980 (KMFR Act). It was amended in 2017 and is in the process of being implemented across the State.

Perfil de FIP en Español

This FIP concentrates on the stocks of the following species: Karikkadi shrimp (Parapenaeopsis stylifera), Poovalan shrimp (Metapenaeus dobsoni), cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis), squid (Uroteuthis duvaucelli), and octopus (Amphioctopus neglectus, A. marginatus). For the pre-assessment, the management unit is the stock of these five species found in Kerala coastal waters. 

FIP at a Glance

View current status
February 01, 2019
46% 25% 25% 4%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Mar 2024
Target End Date
Feb 2024
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityIUUEcosystem

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Seafood Exporters Association of India - Kerala Forum for Crustacean and Cephalopod Sustainability(SEAI-KFCCS)
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
A J Tharakan
Email 
fip.seaikfccs@gmail.com
Phone 
9895597694
Website Name 
Seafood Exporters Association of India
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
10493

Overview

Renowned for its exceptional marine and coastal biodiversity, southwest Madagascar is also home to a rapidly increasing population, experiencing very high levels of poverty. Coastal communities in the region are highly dependent on marine fisheries for subsistence and income, as well as being extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and of competition with foreign fishing vessels. In this context, delivering sustainable fisheries management has never been more important.

Octopus fishing is a crucial livelihood for the Vezo coastal communities, particularly women, for whom there are few other ways of earning money. Most octopus is sold to village middlemen and ultimately exported to foreign markets by two principal seafood export companies. The fishery is a key driver of economic activity and is of critical importance in the region.

This FIP, representing the first of its kind in Madagascar, aims to encourage responsible use of the local octopus population, securing long-term economic benefits for communities and businesses, and accessing global markets interested in high quality, responsibly sourced octopus.

Renowned for its exceptional marine and coastal biodiversity, southwest Madagascar is also home to a rapidly increasing population, experiencing very high levels of poverty. Coastal communities in the region are highly dependent on marine fisheries for subsistence and income, as well as being extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and of competition with foreign fishing vessels. In this context, delivering sustainable fisheries management has never been more important.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
January 01, 2019
46% 54%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Apr 2024
Target End Date
Jan 2026

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Blue Ventures
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Paul Antion
Email 
paul@blueventures.org
Website Name 
Blue Ventures
Organization Name 
Comité de Gestion de la pêche aux poulpes
Organization Type 
Other
Primary Contact 
Sonya Ramisanandrasana
Email 
sonyaramisa@gmail.com
Website Name 
CGP
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
10360

Overview

The Malaysian Swordfish fishery is governed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), with actions implemented by the Government of Malaysia. The FIP for this fishery began in 2018 and has made significant governance improvements since. Efforts between 2018 and 2020 were focused on electronic reporting and monitoring for better control of the fishery’s catch; for example, FIP participants took part in the Regional Observer Program for carrier vessels and fishing vessels to monitor transshipment at sea, and the Department of Fisheries in Malaysia has installed CCTV on every vessel including IBU WIRA 1, IBU WIRA 2 & IBU WIRA 3. These are major achievements that increase oversight of the fishery tremendously and represent a considerable score increase on Principle 3 (Governance) of the Marine Stewardship Council standard, compliance and enforcement (3.2.3). 

In 2023 the major FIP action, in addition to regular catch reporting, will be to review vessel practices against the requirements in the applicable IOTC resolutions for mitigating risks to ETP species.  

The Malaysian Swordfish fishery is governed by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), with actions implemented by the Government of Malaysia. The FIP for this fishery began in 2018 and has made significant governance improvements since.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
August 01, 2018
21% 32% 39% 7%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
C Some Recent Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
May 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2026

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
SYM-PAC International
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Jason Yabiku
Email 
jason@sympacinc.com
Organization Name 
The Sustainability Incubator
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Katrina Nakamura
Email 
katrina@sustainability-incubator.com
Website Name 
The Sustainability Incubator
Organization Name 
Chun Cheng Fishery Enterprise Pte Ltd
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Terry Tay
Email 
terrytay@chuncheng.com
Website Name 
Chun Cheng
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
9724

Overview

The Indian Ocean Tuna Longline Fishery aims to meet the rising global demand for tuna in a sustainable manner by assuring catches do not exceed sustainable levels, promoting the ecosystem based approach to fisheries management and strengthening policy and governance systems in the region. The fishery being assessed is Indian Ocean Longline Tuna, targeting albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) in the Indian Ocean using Malaysian and Taiwanese flagged vessels.

Indian Ocean Tuna Longline Fishery goals:

  • Sustainable Fish Stocks – To ensure tuna and other primary species catches across the Indian Ocean do not exceed sustainable levels
  • Minimising Environmental Impacts – To promote the ecosystem based approach to fisheries management
  • Effective Management – To strengthen governance systems in the IOTC and Indian Tuna Longline fishery.

The Indian Ocean Tuna Longline Fishery aims to meet the rising global demand for tuna in a sustainable manner by assuring catches do not exceed sustainable levels, promoting the ecosystem based approach to fisheries management and strengthening policy and governance systems in the region. The fishery being assessed is Indian Ocean Longline Tuna, targeting albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) in the Indian Ocean using Malaysian and Taiwanese flagged vessels.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
December 01, 2018
36% 25% 39%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
C Some Recent Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Jun 2024
Target End Date
Dec 2024
Additional Impacts:
Other

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Key Traceability
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Tom Evans
Email 
t.evans@keytraceability.com
Website Name 
Key Traceability
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
9571

Overview

History: In April 2017, a new fishery improvement project (FIP) for Sri Lanka’s longline fishery was launched at the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels (Belgium) by the President of the Seafood Exporters’ Association of Sri Lanka (SEASL) Prabhash Subasinghe. In May the SEASL signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, the Honourable Mahinda Amaraweera MP, to improve the biological and ecological status of Sri Lanka’s longline fishery. The MoU also commits the parties to implement fishery-specific management measures that will maintain the status of the fishery at a level consistent with a sustainably managed fishery. In July pelagikos pvt ltd was appointed to administer and manage, design, plan, monitor and evaluate the new FIP. The progress made by the FIP to improve the Sri Lankan longline fishery since July, is presented in this the first FIP bulletin.

In July, the SEASL commissioned a Gap Analysis to establish the scope of the new longline fishery improvement project and to internally assess with members of the new FIP, the status of the fishery / fisheries against the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) Fishery Standard. The Gap Analysis Final Report was submitted to the SEASL by pelagikos pvt ltd at the end of April 2018. In November 2017 the SEASL commissioned a pre assessment of the longline fishery against by the MSC Fishery Standard by a Certified Assessment Body (CAB). The CAB pre assessment report was submitted to the SEASL in March 2018. The CAB pre assessment was co-financed by the SEASL and New England Seafood International Pvt Ltd.

Context: The new FIP is a collaboration between Sri Lanka’s leading seafood manufacturers, the government’s regulatory and export authorities, boat owners' associations, skippers and their crew. Representatives of these associations, agencies and authorities comprise the decision making ‘members’ of the new Sri Lankan longline FIP.   The first Steering Committee was convened by the Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development (MFARD) at the end of July 2017. ‘Focal points’ were appointed by each member of the new FIP. The scope of the new FIP was discussed and agreed in the second Steering Committee meeting held in October 2017. In this meeting, the immediate opportunities (including certification) and challenges that need to be overcome to further improve Sri Lanka’s longline fishery were presented and discussed.

Scope: In 2016, Sri Lankan vessels harvested 77,029.24 metric tonnes of tuna (86%) and billfish (14%) from Sri Lanka’s Exclusvie Economic Zone (EEZ) and international waters, using gillnets, longlines, ring nets, handlines and trolling lines according to the National Aquatic Resources, Research and Development Agency (NARA). Key species included skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore tuna, together with indo-pacific sailfish, swordfish and black, blue and striped marlin. The scope of the new FIP was determined based on the consideration of the following three factors:

(1) The export demand for fresh and frozen tuna and billfish products.

(2) The types of vessels and gears supplying tuna and billfish for export.

(3) The current and short-term status of key export species.

Sri Lanka’s fresh and frozen seafood export industry is driven by demand for yellowfin tuna products. Demand for bigeye, indo-pacific sailfish, swordfish and marlin products is also important to the industry. Artisanal (<15m) and semi-industrial (<24 m) multiday fishing boats, deploying short (500 – 1,500 hooks) longlines are the main source of tuna and billfish for Sri Lankan exporters. 498 longline multiday boats were registered to fish within and beyond Sri Lanka’s EEZ in 2017. 80% of these vessels were registered under the District Fisheries Offices in Chilaw (Thodduwawa and Wennappuwa) and Negombo. A further 300 or so longline multiday boats  were registered for the EEZ only. IOTC stock assessments indicate that bigeye tuna and swordfish stocks are currently fished at a level consistent with a sustinably managed fishery (Green).  The yellowfin tuna stock is judged to be overfished and subject to overfishing (Red). However, interim reference points and harvest control rules are in place to ensure that the stock recovers within the next three years. Sailfish and blue marlin stocks are overfished or subject to overfishing (Orange). Black and striped marlin stocks are judged to be overfished and subject to overfishing (Red). The absence of reference points for these species means it is unlikely stocks will recover within the next three years. Based on the new Sri Lankan Longline FIP’s internal assessment, members of the FIP agreed the scope of the new Sri Lanka FIP to be

Geographic           Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone & International Waters in the Indian Ocean

Vessel Type           Sri Lankan multiday fishing boats registered to fish in the EEZ or High Seas

Gear Type             Deep-set Longline

Target Species      Yellowfin Tuna, Bigeye Tuna, Swordfish

History: In April 2017, a new fishery improvement project (FIP) for Sri Lanka’s longline fishery was launched at the Seafood Expo Global in Brussels (Belgium) by the President of the Seafood Exporters’ Association of Sri Lanka (SEASL) Prabhash Subasinghe. In May the SEASL signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, the Honourable Mahinda Amaraweera MP, to improve the biological and ecological status of Sri Lanka’s longline fishery.

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Seafood Exporter's Associatoin of Sri Lanka
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Sampath Padmawansa
Email 
sampathrp@gsffish.com
Phone 
00943856689
Website Name 
seafood exporters' association of sri lanka
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
8096

Overview

Note: This FIP went inactive on April 30th, 2020.

UPDATE FOR MAY 2019: Research to support the rational management of threadfin bream along India's westcoast is now a federal priority and backed by a major thrust of research by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Demersal Fisheries Division. (Ref. http://www.cmfri.org.in/division/demersal-fisheries-division)

Launched in April 2017 and led by Gadre Marine Export PVT Ltd., this FIP is working to address challenges in the Japanese threadfin bream trawl fishery (Nemipterus japonicus) operating along the length of India's west coast where the stock is located. The project will advance the objectives to improve this fishery, and will focus on the rules and tools in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala. Gadre Marine Export PVT Ltd. is a surimi processor purchasing threadfin bream from five coastal states in India. Gadre will host roundtables for the industry, fishing societies and regulators to meet, discuss, and set the objectives in motion. 

A preliminary assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council Standard was completed in May 2017.The pre-assessment included a comprehensive assessment of scientific literature, interviews with fishing boat owners, and consultations with scientists in the coastal states. The major finding was that trawler boat owners, as well as scientific institutions, are optimistic that the fishery can rebound to optimum levels if concrete steps are undertaken over a five-year period.

Overfishing is occurring on west coast threadfin bream according to the 2014 stock assessment which recommended a 20% reduction in fishing.  The major problem is overfishing on juveniles.  Fishery scientists and managers agree it is the major target.  There is a 61 day fishing ban during breeding season 1 June through 31 July every year.  To further reduce fishing impacts on juveniles, Kerala has extended the ban and Maharashtra has required use of square mesh in the cod-end of trawls.  The FIP supports the notion of a coastwide Winter closure to reduce fishing impacts on juveniles further.

Fundamentally, the area most needing improvement is the age of threadfin bream at capture.  This can be achieved with short- and long-term measures that include seasonal bans to avoid fishing when juveniles dominate the catch, enforcement of increased mesh size in the cod-end of trawl nets, and seizure of illegal gears at fishing ports; so that harvest rates drop to appropriate levels.

Note: This FIP went inactive on April 30th, 2020.

UPDATE FOR MAY 2019: Research to support the rational management of threadfin bream along India's westcoast is now a federal priority and backed by a major thrust of research by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Demersal Fisheries Division. (Ref. http://www.cmfri.org.in/division/demersal-fisheries-division)

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Gadre Marine
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Arjun Gadre
Email 
arjun.gadre@gadremarine.com
Website Name 
Gadre Marine Exports
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
6111

Overview

The Sustainable Indian Ocean Tuna Initiative (SIOTI) was established in 2017 and comprises major purse seine fleets and canned tuna processors operating in the Indian Ocean. SIOTI successfully concluded the first phase of the FIP between 2017 and 2023 that resulted in all fleet partners being MSC-certified or in full assessment against the standard for skipjack tuna. The successful FIP partnership is, since 2023, now focusing its attention on fishery improvements for yellowfin and bigeye tuna, building on impactful interventions made in the first phase of the FIP while actioning others to ensure that the fishery for both species can achieve the MSC standard by 2028. Hence, the FIP has been rebranded as SIOTI.2, marking the FIP entering a second phase of implementation in 2023.

Target species: SIOTI.2 focuses on the purse seine fishery target species of yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) 

Fishing methods: The FIP encompasses the use of purse seine gear by large (>60 m LOA) specialist purse seine vessels. Sets by the vessels can be made on free schools of tuna or schools of tuna associated with floating objects

Fishing area: The fishery operates under the jurisdiction of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) in FAO Statistical Areas 51 and 57

Fishing fleets: The SIOTI fleet comprises 27 purse seine vessels flagged to France, Italy, Mauritius, Seychelles and Spain.   

 

The Sustainable Indian Ocean Tuna Initiative (SIOTI) was established in 2017 and comprises major purse seine fleets and canned tuna processors operating in the Indian Ocean. SIOTI successfully concluded the first phase of the FIP between 2017 and 2023 that resulted in all fleet partners being MSC-certified or in full assessment against the standard for skipjack tuna.

FIP at a Glance

View current status
April 01, 2017
21% 43% 36%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Jul 2024
Target End Date
Jun 2028

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Thai Union
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Francisco Leotte
Email 
francisco.leotte@thaiunion.com
Phone 
+351 964 602 528
Website Name 
Thai Union
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
4711

Overview

What is a Completed FIP?

Completed FIPs are those that have independent verification that they have achieved their environmental objectives and/or graduated to MSC full assessment or other program assessment. Completed FIPs no longer report on their environmental performance but may choose to voluntarily report on their social performance.

Date of Completion: Aug 2020

Explanation of Completion: This FIP entered MSC full assessment but it is continuing to report on its social performance. The original scope of the FIP included three UoAs (BET, SKJ and YFT), however, only the SKJ entered full MSC assessment. A new FIP was launched to address BET and YFT.

Completion Link

This profile was completed by achieving certification of 1 tuna species, only including skipjack tuna, and a new profile was created to address continued improvement for bigeye and yellowfin tuna: Indian Ocean yellowfin & bigeye tuna – purse seine (AGAC).

---

This FIP encompasses all global tropical tuna stocks of three species: bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) for a total of 13 Units of Certification. In the case of this specific sub-FIP for the Eastern Pacific Ocean, we deal with three stocks of tunas - one each for skipjack, bigeye tuna, and yellowfin tuna.

Because of the set-up of this webpage, the overarching FIP was broken into four sub-FIPs according to the relevant RFMO (IATTC, ICCAT, IOTC, and WCPFC). The reasoning behind this division is that each RFMO has different scores and actions for the various MSC principles, in particular Principles 1 & 3. Had we grouped all RFMOs together, we would not have been able to present or track the various activities and timelines in a cohesive, clear and comprehensive manner.

FIPプロフィールレポート

Perfil de FIP en Español

This profile was completed by achieving certification of 1 tuna species, only including skipjack tuna, and a new profile was created to address continued improvement for bigeye and yellowfin tuna: Indian Ocean yellowfin & bigeye tuna – purse seine (AGAC).

---

FIP at a Glance

View current status
October 01, 2016
14% 50% 36%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF
Not yet available
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.
  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Target End Date
Sep 2021
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityIUUEcosystemOther

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
OPAGAC
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Dr Julio Morón
Email 
julio.moron@opagac.org
Phone 
+34 91 431 48 57
Website Name 
OPAGAC
Organization Name 
WWF
Organization Type 
NGO
Primary Contact 
Raul Garcia Rodriguez
Email 
pesca@wwf.es
Website Name 
Smart Fishing
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
1846

Pages

Subscribe to Area 51 (Indian Ocean, Western)