Group asks for transparency from tuna industry operators

CEBU, Philippines – After expressing concern on the "rampant" catching and trading of 'baby yellowfins and big eye tunas, an environmental group is now highlighting the result of a local survey that reportedly shows the lack of transparency in the Philippine Tuna industry.

According to Greenpeace Philippines based on a report on Tuna Cannery Ranking Report for the Philippines, out of the nine local tuna canneries surveyed this year, eight received a poor rating on transparency, sustainability, and equitability, while only one company was given a fair rating, barely making the grade.

It said that none of the brands surveyed received a good rating, indicating that a substantial amount of work on tuna industry practices and standards still needs to be done.

"The cannery ranking results reveal how the tuna industry is plagued with so many 'scandals,' from the lack of transparency to corporate greenwashing," said Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines.

Cinches said that with regards to sustainability, they discovered that there are a lot of juvenile tuna being caught through the use of payaos or fish aggregating devices in purse seine fishing.

Greenpeace noted that the cannery ranking came a year after they exposed the rampant catching and trading of  juvenile yellowfin and big eye tuna.

The juvenile tuna were found to be less the average size of 1 meter in length and below the weight limit of 500g set by the Fisheries Administrative Order.

Environmentalists and scientists say the continued catching of juvenile tuna contributes to the decline of stocks, not just in the Philippines but globally, said Greenpeace, in a statement.

In addition to the call for more sustainable fishing methods and transparency in the fishing industry, Greenpeace Philippines also expressed concern over unfair labor practices.

A key criteria in the cannery ranking report was on the equitability of the tuna stocks.

The report documents how tuna in some places is being caught by trafficked and abused labor and the tuna harvested finds its way into supply chains of big players in the tuna industry.

Josua Mata, secretary general of Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa or SENTRO said that they join Greenpeace and other allies in calling operators in the tuna industry to end destructive fishing, while respecting the labor and human rights of people working across the supply chain.

Greenpeace and SENTRO believes that across the globe, the tide is shifting towards the need for sustainable seafood.

The statement added that the Philippine tuna industry has no recourse but to reform and adhere to international standards and to what the public demands.

"Globally, consumers are demanding for traceable, sustainable and equitably caught seafood.  There is a new consciousness among people who buy and choose tuna brands that do not jeopardize the very resources that we all rely on," Cinches further said. —/ATO (FREEMAN)