World's First Sustainable Tuna Fishery Is Certified

As announced today by the World Wildlife Fund, the American Albacore Fishing Association, based in San Diego, CA, was officially certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as the world's first sustainable fishery. The AAFA fleet accounts for about 20% of the total albacore tuna catch in the Pacific, which is sold around the world. The California-based fishery brings the number of fisheries with Marine Stewardship Council's sustainable certification to 15; all of which have met the MSC's strict environmental standards for sustainable and well-managed fisheries and as such, are entitled to use their distinctive blue eco-label on packaging for sustainable seafood. The label gives consumers a quick and easy way to identify the best environmental choice in seafood — those species that have not been overfished or harvested in ways that harm the ocean, other fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, sharks and seabirds. As a part of the Marine Stewardship Council's certification, fish are caught by way of troll/jig and/or pole and line method in the North Pacific, which allows the tuna to be caught one at a time and avoids bycatch. According to today's press release, consumers will be able to purchase sustainably certified tuna in stores nationwide later this year.

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