Cook Islands Albacore Longline Fishery Achieves MSC Certification

The Cook Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) South Pacific albacore longline fishery has become the first Chinese tuna fleet to be certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).  Certification of this Pacific tuna fishery is welcome news as it represents growing supply of MSC certified sustainable tuna. The fishery produces 2,300 tonnes of tuna per annum. The Cook Islands fishery now joins a leading group of more than 250 MSC certified fisheries that are helping to ensure healthy marine ecosystems for this and future generations.  Achieving MSC certification brings global recognition to this pioneering fishery’s efforts, and will also help safeguard the livelihoods of many in the Cook Islands. Ben Ponia, Secretary for Cook Islands Ministry of Marine Resources says a significant part of the certifier’s evaluation required assessing government’s capacity to manage the albacore fishery in a sustainable manner. “Achieving the industry gold standard and having the ‘Blue Tick’ label of MSC is a significant milestone for our longline fishery. It is recognition of the high standards here in the Cook Islands. It will enhance the exclusivity of our fishery and add value to our albacore tuna export” he said.

The MSC program provides a powerful instrument for transforming the global tuna fisheries market to a sustainable basis, and improving the way tuna fisheries are managed and governed. Bill Holden, MSC’s Asia-Pacific Fisheries Manager says “The Cook Islands South Pacific albacore longline fishery has undergone scrutiny by an independent team of experts who have assessed the fishery’s performance against the MSC’s robust and widely recognised requirements for sustainable fishing. The fishery will continue to make improvements to meet the conditions set for it in order to remain certified.” To remain certified, the Cook Islands fishery must now implement harvest control strategies that ensure healthy stock levels are maintained, and also demonstrate that fish stocks are well managed. All fisheries in the program undergo annual surveillance audits to ensure the fishery is meeting the high standards set by the MSC. Joe Murphy, Senior Vice President of Luen Thai Fishing Venture expressed his excitement at the news. “We are so very happy to receive the certificate and to be a part of the MSC. There is no doubt that by being MSC certified, the Cook Islands tuna fishery will encourage more Chinese seafood companies and other tuna companies to join this important sustainability movement,” he said.

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