A group of companies representing multiple levels of the tuna supply chain have joined together to launch a new alliance that will seek to improve tuna sustainability, raise respect for the human rights of fishermen and prevent illegally caught tuna from reaching the market.
The Global Tuna Alliance, which was announced 2 October, is open to retailers, food service companies, suppliers, and brands. It will leverage the power of the supply chain to compel change in fisheries, including pushing for reforms at Regional Fishery Management Organizations (RFMOs).
All the companies that are part of the alliance are expected to source tuna from fisheries that are certified by eco-labels benchmarked by the Global Seafood Sustainability Initiative or from fisheries that are part of comprehensive fishery improvement projects. Partner companies so far include Ahold Delhaize, Asda, Coop UK, M&S, Metro, New England Seafoods International, Princes, Sainsburys, Tesco, Waitrose, and World Wise Foods.
“It’s about convening that collaborative power of the market,” Tom Pickerell, the executive director of the new alliance, told SeafoodSource. “These companies have a voice It’s using market power to influence the decision makers and fisheries managers, which individual companies would struggle to do on their own.”
New England Seafood, one of the largest tuna importers in the United Kingdom, played an instrumental role in founding the alliance, with the belief that a more collaborative effort is needed to convince decision makers to protect tuna stocks, according to Cassie Leisk, the head of sustainability at the company.
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