Japanese fishing and processing company Meiho Co, based in Shiogama City, has become the GTA’s latest Partner and its first ever in Japan. This a significant development for the GTA as, along with the US, Japan represents one of the largest consumers of tuna in the world and is the second-largest tuna fishing nation.
The Global Tuna Alliance has been prominent in international fisheries management in recent years, bringing to bear the collective market influence of its partners to advocate for the environmentally sustainable and socially responsible fishing of global tuna stocks. Since its formation in 2019, the pre-competitive collaboration has grown from an initiative of retailers and supply chain companies based entirely in Europe to one which now spans four continents.
Japan has a huge importance in the tuna business, with landings of tuna in Japan in 2018 coming to 370,000 tonnes, while Japan consumes a quarter of the world’s tuna catch, mostly for sashimi. The Japanese delegation is also an authoritative presence at tuna RFMO meetings.
In 2023, Gunther Errhalt was announced as the GTA’s new Japan Outreach Officer, to develop engagement in Japan in the hopes of replicating the same growth achieved in Europe and the U.S.
‘We’re delighted that Meiho has demonstrated their commitment to a future of sustainable, socially responsible tuna fishing by joining forces with the Global Tuna Alliance. This is a major breakthrough for the GTA, which has been seeking to connect with seafood market players in Japan since its inception,’ he said.
‘Meiho’s decision to join the GTA signifies that they are stalwart defenders of tuna, while simultaneously acting as a beacon to others in Japan, encouraging them to make their voice heard in the global supply chain. With Meiho at the forefront of this effort in Asia, I am confident that more Japanese members will follow suit. This will strongly motivate decision-makers across the region to attentively consider the market’s perspective.’
Meiho operates four pole-and-line vessels and two tuna purse seiners, and runs processing and cold storage facilities.
Tomo Matano, the COO of Culimer USA, a current GTA partner and instrumental in connecting Meiho with the GTA commented that Japan has long been the inspiration for harvesting and handling seafood, and sushi has become a global food.
‘It’s a core American food today, and we have made it our own. We are so proud to work with Meiho Foods Company, the first Japanese company to join the Global Tuna Alliance and represent the ideals of tuna sustainability and excellence,’ he said.
‘This partnership symbolises a shared commitment to sustainability and leadership. Meiho pursued and won MSC certification for skipjack tuna in 2006, the first company to do so. Their commitments to MSC, the Global Tuna Alliance, traceability, and all such make it possible for us to successfully introduce Meiho products to North American customers. This commitment is key for the clients we work with, including some of North America’s top supermarkets. Together, we are set to make impactful strides towards a sustainable future.’
