WORLDFISHING: Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification has been awarded to the Solomon Islands skipjack and yellowfin tuna purse seine and pole and line fishery.
The effort to secure MSC certification in the Solomon Islands was led by Tri Marine and its subsidiary National Fisheries Developments (NFD). This certification follows last month’s announcement that Tri Marine had achieved MSC certification for free school skipjack and yellowfin tuna caught by American Samoan-based purse seine vessels in the Western and Central Pacific.
“This most recent certification provides well-deserved public recognition of the Solomon Islands’ efforts to sustainably manage their purse seine and pole and line tuna fisheries and helps maximise the value of tuna caught and processed in the country.” said Matthew Owens, Tri Marine’s Director of Environmental Policy.
The newly MSC certified fishery operates in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) in the Main Group Archipelago (MGA) and the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Solomon Islands. It represents around 25,000-30,000 metric tons of skipjack and yellowfin per year and is unloaded in the Solomon Islands where it is processed almost entirely by SolTuna in Noro, Western Province.
SolTuna produces canned tuna, frozen cooked tuna loins, and fish meal and oil.
SolTuna brands make up the vast majority of the canned tuna market in the Solomon Islands and is an important contributor to the country’s food security. SolTuna also sells tuna products to customers in Europe and the Pacific region, where there is increased demand for MSC labelled tuna.
Locally managed, NFD and SolTuna employs over 2,000 Solomon Islanders and represent one of the country’s largest private sector employers.
