Our support to Scientific Research – through the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF)

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.

ISSF is today a global point of reference for science-based sustainability for the whole tuna industry and a unique example of cooperation between scientists, industry and NGOs towards a shared sustainability objective: improving the sustainability of global tuna stocks to meet MSC certification criteria.

ISSF promotes science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks , reducing bycatch and promoting the health of the marine ecosystem.

Since its inception, ISSF has adopted conservation measures and is committed to facilitating this mission.  It intends that processors, traders, importers, transporters, and others involved in the seafood industry will follow these measures to promote real and continuous improvement across global tuna stocks.

As an ISSF participating company, we commit to adhere to over 40 conservation measures and undergoing annual audits conducted by third-party bodies.

Among these conservation measures, the most important ones include:

  • A commitment not to make purchases from vessels registered by the EU or RFMO (Regional Fishery Management Organization) in the IUU (Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing) list.
  • The obligation, when fishing from large Purse Seiners, to only make purchases from vessels registered in the ProActive Vessel Register (PVR), a register instituted by the ISSF to identify and trace, both transparently and publicly, vessels adopting the practices identified by the ISSF for sustainable tuna fishing, in full compliance with ISSF resolutions.
  • The limitation of fishing capacity permitting ISSF members to only make their tuna purchases from large Purse Seiners that are already operative, or which were in the process of being built on 31/12/2012.
  • A commitment to only purchase from vessels with an IMO (International Maritime Organization), UVI (Unique Vessel Identifier), or TUVI (Tuna Unique Vessel Identifier) identification number.

ISSF’s strategy is based on three pillars:

  1. SCIENCE: To advance the sustainability of tuna stocks and their ecosystems through continuous improvement – measurably demonstrated – across global fisheries.
  2. INFLUENCE: To exercise influence, thanks to advocacy activities, among all the players in the tuna world to promote and expedite actions necessary to advance the sustainability of tuna stocks and their ecosystems.
  3. VERIFICATION: To maintain and enhance credibility through transparency and compliance.

The new tuna stock status monitoring tool provided by ISSF falls within the first area of the commitment.

This interactive tool, developed by ISSF’s Science and Communication team and reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Committee, allows users to access past and present data of ISSF’s Report on the state of 23 tuna stocks worldwide. Furthermore, it enables users to monitor tuna stock health trends since 2011 and the recent volume of tuna caught by fishing method.

Furthermore, ISSF is working to address the issue of FADs (Fishing Aggregating Devices) and their management, which is a crucial concern for the fishing industry and, as a result, one of our foremost priorities.

Fishing Aggregating Devices are rafts or buoys with transceivers deployed in the ocean before fishing, so conditions capable of attracting schools of fish in search of food or protection are recreated underneath them. This technique results from observations made by fishermen who noticed the natural tendency of fish to gather beneath logs of wood or other floating objects. Since this technique provides skippers with information regarding the localization and number of fish that have gathered beneath these objects, it is used to maximize fishing.

As to the usage and management of FADs, ISSF has formulated the following Best Practices:

  • Comply with flag state and Regional Fisheries Management Organization (RFMO) reporting requirements for fisheries statistics by set type
  • Report data on FAD usage for RFMO science bodies (tracks, echosounder estimates of biomass, etc.)
  • Support science-based limits on the overall number of FADs used and/or FAD sets made
  • Use non-entangling FADs only and promote the use of biodegradable FADs
  • Develop a FAD recovery policy, including arrangements to alert coastal countries of derelict FADs that may impact sensitive areas
  • For silky sharks (the main bycatch issue in FAD sets) implement further mitigation efforts

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

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.