Aims to implement best practices in all vessels by 2030 to protect endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species and fulfill its existing commitment (by 2025)
Thai Union Group PLC, one of the world’s leading seafood producers and one of the largest producers of shelf-stable tuna products, has now committed to only source from vessels that are implementing best practices to protect ocean wildlife from bycatch.
Thai Union’s action is based on research by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) on the risks to sharks, seabirds, turtles and other marine wildlife in the fisheries that supply the company and an analysis by Key Traceability of Thai Union’s tuna fishery improvement projects and in the highest risk fisheries that were identified in the audit.
“Environmental organizations are pointing to the biodiversity and species loss crisis that the planet is facing. The report by SFP notes the significant loss of ETP species in the Western Central Pacific Ocean region,” noted Adam Brennan, group director, sustainability at Thai Union. “We want to do more to ensure that we are sourcing from vessels that are doing everything they can to avoid and reduce bycatch.”
Thai Union is known for top-selling, household-name tuna brands, including Chicken of the Sea and John West. As part of a panel at Seafood Expo North America, the largest seafood trade show in North America and second in the world, Thai Union highlighted a new 2030 commitment for its fisheries, building on its larger seafood sustainability efforts over the past seven years. Specifically, Thai Union will:
By 2030, all vessels to implement best practices to protect endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species and fulfill its existing commitment (by 2025) of 100 percent observer coverage (human or electronic) on tuna vessels through direct work with its suppliers and service providers.
“Biodiversity loss is the greatest threat to fisheries sustainability,” said Kathryn Novak, biodiversity and nature director at SFP. “Thai Union is setting new expectations for the seafood industry to protect endangered, protected and threatened species by looking at their supply chains and only sourcing from vessels actively working to address bycatch.”
