Sales of certified sustainable tuna globally have more than doubled in the last
five years, according to a new
report
published today by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
More than 54,000 tonnes of tuna were sold with the globally recognised blue MSC
label in 2018/19, compared with 21,500 tonnes in 2015/16. The figures for
2019/20 are expected to be even higher1. UK sales of MSC-certified tuna products
account for 11 percent of total sales.
As demand for canned tuna continues to soar around the world, thanks to the
coronavirus pandemic*, the MSC is urging both producers and consumers to
continue their commitment to sustainable tuna. Published to mark World Tuna
Day tomorrow (2 May),
the MSC’s Tuna
Handbook provides
a comprehensive guide to sourcing sustainable tuna.
“Although tuna is one of the world’s most widely consumed and popular fish, the
reality is that around a third of tuna stocks remain in a fragile state,” says
Bill Holden, MSC’s global tuna expert. “But the good news is that, even in
these difficult times, consumers can continue to make a difference by choosing
sustainably sourced seafood. By buying tuna with the blue MSC label, shoppers
are playing their part in ensuring tuna stocks are secured for future
generations.”
Shifts in global tuna production
the exciting potential of cultivated, fermented and plant-based protein innovation
Join us as Aleph Farms, the Better Meat Co, the Good Food Institute and Plantible Foods discuss the latest advancements in cultivated, plant-based, and fermentation-derived proteins — and how incorporating alternative proteins can help brands significantly reduce environmental impacts, while conserving natural resources — Tuesday, Oct. 15 at SB'24 San Diego.
According to the Pew Research
Center,
four species of tuna —
bluefin,
bigeye, yellowfin and skipjack — account for at least $42 billion of the $150
billion annual global seafood trade, support millions of jobs, and help ensure
food security for some 3 billion people. Conservation groups fought for years
to institute catch
limits
on overfished tuna stocks around the world, but the tide has finally seemed to
turn in the past few years — with growing commitments and partnerships aimed at
ending illegal fishing, such as the Tuna 2020 Traceability
Declaration,
launched in 2017. Now, MSC says that 65 percent of tuna stocks globally are
considered to be in a healthy state, with 17.5 percent overfished and a further
17.5 percent at an intermediate level.
The rapid increase in global sales of MSC-labelled sustainable tuna is the
result of transformations within the fishing sector. The volume of tuna caught
to the MSC’s global standard for sustainable
fishing more
than doubled from 700,000 tonnes in 2014 to 1.4 million tonnes (28 percent of
global tuna catch) in September 2019. There are now 30 MSC-certified tuna
fisheries, compared with just 8 in September 2014.
Driven by increasing retailer and consumer demand, more than 200 companies now
trade MSC-certified sustainable tuna sold in 41 countries — including some of
the world’s largest tuna brands, such as Petit Navire, Chicken of the
Sea,
John
West
and Genova (owned by Thai
Union);
Rio Mare (owned by Bolton Food), and
Bumble
Bee
(owned by Taiwanese fishing giant
FCF).
In the UK, supermarkets Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and M&S have led the
way and are selling the majority of MSC-labelled tuna.
Read more
here ...
* The surge in demand for canned tuna as a result of the coronavirus
pandemic has been reported around the world including in in
the UK, Italy, Germany and Spain. Google
searches for canned
tuna are up 50%
compared to April 2019, with a 300% year-on-year rise in queries relating to
‘what to do with canned tuna.’
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Sustainable Brands Staff
Published May 1, 2020 8am EDT / 5am PDT / 1pm BST / 2pm CEST