Our diversification strategy

Diversification of fishing methods
We believe that each fishing method has its advantages and areas of improvement. For this reason, to ensure a holistic approach to tuna supply, we source from different fishing methods: Purse Seiners using FADs.
• Purse Seiners FAD Free/Free Schools
• Pole & Line
• Small Scale Artisanal Fishing (Small Purse Seiner, Pole & Line and Handline)

Purse seiner

This fishing method involves large fishing vessels that can stay at sea for several weeks. Once a tuna school has been sighted, a small boat, known as a skiff, with a large nylon net attached, is lowered into the sea. The fishing boat makes a circular maneuver to join the two ends of the net and draws it tight at the bottom to form a purse, referred to as a seiner. The tuna caught are frozen immediately in refrigerators situated below deck.

Purse seiner fishing takes place on a single vessel, guaranteeing improved traceability and hygiene, preventing sanitation risks for the catch, and assuring better working conditions for the fishermen. Furthermore, compared to other fishing methods, it also guarantees a lower incidence of fuel consumption per ton of fish caught.

Purse seine vessels fish by either using FADs (Fishing Aggregating Devices) or fishing FAD free (spotting free-swimming schools). On the one hand, the use of FADs encourages the aggregation of tuna underneath them, thus increasing catch efficiency and a lower fuel consumption. On the other hand, it leads to a higher rate of bycatch of other species. It is worth mentioning that the incidence of bycatch is lower compared to other fishing methods. On average, it represents 5% of the total catch, approximately 80% of which is not at risk of extinction (Source: ISSF).

The alternative method of fishing on free-swimming schools drastically reduces the risk of bycatch. However, it leads to higher fuel consumption as skippers must spend more time at sea looking for tuna schools.

Our commitments to the management of FAD 

By supporting and promoting the guidelines established by the ISSF Technical Paper 2019-11 and interacting with our stakeholders, we have formulated a series of commitments to address and handle FAD management personally:

  • Only non-entangling FADs (in compliance with ISSF guidelines);
  • Max 300 drifting FADs deployed per vessel, without increasing them where the number of FAD used was less than 300.
  • Report fishing data to RFMOs, including data related to FAD USE, within four months.
  • Identification of additional measures such as limitation of the number of FAD sets, progressively use of biodegradable FADs, and limit for the use of auxiliary boats.
  • Continue to forbid the use of auxiliary craft.

FAD recovery projects

With the goal of recovering lost FADs, we joined the Satlink ReCon project, a unique circular economy worldwide collaboration between fishing companies and local partners, coordinated by technology provider Satlink, paving the way for the future of tuna fishing sustainability. Since its launch in December 2022, over 70 vessels and 16 tuna companies have become part of Project ReCon.

The project is a collaborative effort to find a new purpose for recovered echosounder buoys that fishing vessels no longer use. GPS-linked echosounder buoys are important tools for tuna fishing fleets but can also benefit smaller local community projects, by providing them affordable access to this high-tech equipment.

A possible solution to bycatch: The Hopper Project

The Hopper Project, which has received funding from the Basque Government’s Fisheries Department, aims to apply in situ the effectiveness of solutions to prevent the mortality of vulnerable species on the high seas because of their accidental capture. The so-called hopper consists of a hopper located in the vicinity of the unloading hatch of the vessels, over which the fish is stored, and which allows a quick visualization of the by-catch species for their extraction. The device is attached to a ramp oriented to the sea, which allows its immediate release, minimizing the interaction between crew and species, and reducing risks for both the fleet and for the species themselves. This project, due to its positive impact on marine species, was mentioned as a best practice in the UN Fisheries Management Guideline.
Currently, four vessels from our Ecuadorian and Spanish fleet have adopted this technology, contributing to a significant reduction in bycatch.

Pole & Line

A traditional fishing method practiced just at a short distance from the coastline. The fishermen throw small bait into the water to attract the tuna; with the help of water sprayed with pressure hoses, small swirls that disorientate the fish are created. At this point the fishermen use their poles with lines and special hooks to bait them. Once hooked, the tuna is hauled onboard and is rapidly preserved in ice or frozen.

Pole & Line can be practiced by spotting free-swimming schools or utilizing FADs (Fishing Aggregating Devices), but as the fish is caught individually bycatch risk is minimal. The use of live bait like sardines and other small local fish involves the risk of impacts on their stocks if not correctly handled. Given the reduced number of fish caught, vessels tend to consume more fuel per ton of fish caught.

Artisanal fishing

With Artisanal Fishing we want to promote a unique supply chain developed with a local partner in Indonesia.

Artisanal small-scale fishing in Indonesia differs from large-scale industrial fishing in the following characteristics:

The boats are smaller in size, with gross tonnage 30GT or below as compared to industrial sized vessels that can go up to 1000GT and above.

The Fishing methods used are the following: traditional Pole & Line, Hand Line and (small) Purse Seine. In particular, pole & line and handline are operated by hand, and tuna is caught one-by-one with little to no bycatch; the small purse seiners are using smaller nets with upper rope length of 300-700m while industrial vessel nets can reach more than 2000m in length

The vessels have a local ownership and flagged to Indonesia, and employs 100% Indonesian crew, improving the livelihoods and economy of coastal communities in Indonesia.

The vessels fish in Indonesia archipelagic waters exclusively and unload in Indonesian ports.

The trip length is short, typically less than 1 week; in some specific cases, for pole & line fishing it can be prolonged up to one month. The trip length for an industrial vessel is typically of 1 month and above.

Due to the short trip, fish on board is stored on ice instead of in brine solution.

We diversify tuna species & fishing areas

Tuna is a migratory species mainly fished in equatorial waters between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. According to the most recent stock assessment issued by ISSF, 87% of the tuna caught comprises two species: Yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis). Globally, 86% of the total catch comes from healthy stocks in terms of abundance.

To protect the balance of the marine ecosystem, we decided to gradually diversify the tuna species fished over time. This was achieved by reducing our catches of Yellowfin tuna from 100% to 37% thanks to the introduction of Skipjack, which now accounts for most of our sourcing.

Our procurement policy is based on ISSF indications and all the fleets supplying us respect the ‘closed to fishing’ periods’ indicated by the RFMOs, to guarantee that tuna stocks have adequate time to reproduce and repopulate. Most of our tuna comes from the Pacific Ocean where stocks are in healthy condition.

In line with this strategy, we are committed to decreasing the sourcing from tuna stocks experiencing overfishing, such as the Yellowfin Tuna from the Indian Ocean. That’s why in 2023, following the most recent scientific advice, we self-imposed a gradual and significant reduction in the use of yellowfin tuna caught in the Indian Ocean, of at least 30% by 2025 compared to our supply in 2020. We have been working in this direction, and in 2023 sourcing from this area was reduced by 67 % vs 2020 levels.

Our support to scientific research

In 2009, we were among the founders of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), a global, non-profit organization whose members include the most eminent scientists, marine biologists and various NGOs, including WWF International.

Tri Marine has been our strategic partner for more than 25 years and is the exclusive supplier of the precooked tuna loins processed in our Cermenate plant.

Our commitment to marine

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a global, voluntary, and independent body that supports sustainable fishing practices and defines the standards for the responsible procurement of fish resources.

We have been working together with WWF since 2017 to safeguard the health of the oceans and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them.

We understand the importance in cooperating with public entities to develop new initiatives aiming at protecting our planet. For this reason, since 2014 our brand Rio Mare is partner with the Protected Marine Area of the Aegadian Islands (Italy, Sicily) is Europe’s largest protected marine areas.