The MSC certification of Sapmer’s Indian Ocean tuna tuna seine fishery has been announced, following an 18-month audit and evaluation conducted by independent certifying body Control Union.
With this certification, Sapmer joins the certification initiated by French operator Compagnie Française du Thon Océanique (CFTO) in 2021 in order to pool strategies and approaches within French industry body Orthongel to boost the sustainability of the French tuna fishery.
Three Sapmer vessels under the French flag and registered in Reunion Island and Mayotte have MSC certification.
The fishery complies with the three sustainability principles of the MSC’s requirements, in that the skipjack is in good condition and able to sustain itself, best practices implemented by the Sapmer teams make it possible to respect the ecosystem and other marine species, and fisheries management rules ensure sustainable management of the resource.
This new MSC certification awarded to Sapmer is in addition to those already acquired for its toothfish fisheries in Kerguelen (awarded in 2013) and Crozet (2017) and lobster fisheries in the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF), awarded in 2020.
