Pacific Ocean tuna - longline (Thai Union)

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Overview

This FIP has entered into the full assessment process for MSC certification and remains active on FisheryProgress, but reporting requirements are reduced. The FIP no longer reports on environmental progress but will confirm its full assessment status at each progress report due date. The FIP will continue meet the social responsibility progress reporting requirements until it achieves MSC certification.

Date Entered Full Assessment: Jan 2023

In Full Assessment Link

The fishery being assessed is the Pacific Tuna Longline Fishery targeting albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) tuna across all regions of the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific 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.

Pacific Tuna Longline Fishery goals:

  • Sustainable Fish Stocks – To ensure tuna and other primary species catches across the Pacific 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 WCPFC, IATTC and Pacific Tuna Longline fishery.
FIP Description 

The fishery being assessed is the Pacific Tuna Longline Fishery targeting albacore (Thunnus alalunga), bigeye (Thunnus obesus) and yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) tuna across all regions of the Pacific Ocean.

FIP Objective(s) 
  • Achieve sustainable stock status’ for albacore, bigeye and yellowfin that is consistent with the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and management systems strengthened to achieve this.
  • To improve the availability of accurate data on catches, retained and especially bycatch by strengthening information systems and training.
  • To collaborate with other institutions working on tuna fisheries issues in the country, including working together to improve the management and policy towards sustainable fisheries for example Harvest Control Rules.
  • Strengthen ETP and retained species management strategies.
  • To promote traceability to ensure that the origins and status of Tuna products purchased are well-known and all coming from legal fisheries by engaging the supply chains that support improvement through the implementation of e-monitoring.
  • Improve governance and decision making process.
  • To achieve a certifiable status by 2022.
FIP Type 
Comprehensive
FIP Stage 
Stage 5: Improvements on the Water
Start and Projected End Dates
December 2017
December 2022
Last Progress Report Reviewed 
Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Next Progress Report Due 
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Species 
Common Name 
Albacore Tuna
Scientific Name
Thunnus alalunga
Common Name 
Bigeye Tuna
Scientific Name
Thunnus obesus
Common Name 
Yellowfin Tuna
Scientific Name
Thunnus albacares
Gear Type 
Longline
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 61 (Pacific, Northwest)
Area 67 (Pacific, Northeast)
Area 71 (Pacific, Western Central)
Area 77 (Pacific, Eastern Central)
Area 81 (Pacific, Southwest)
Area 87 (Pacific, Southeast)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Vanuatu
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country Flag of Vessel 
Vanuatu
Regional Fisheries Management Organization
WCPFC
IATTC
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
5,000 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
12,293 metric tons
Landings Date 
March 2020
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
December 01, 2017
18% 29% 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
Dec 2022
Additional Impacts:
TraceabilityEcosystemRoundtable

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Key Traceability Ltd.
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Tom Evans
Phone 
+44 7505122728
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.
7651