A first for South African fishery
Promoting sustainability
SOUTH AFRICA: A local pole and line tuna fishery has become the first of its kind to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification after participating in a transition programme over the last four years.
Representing a component of the albacore tuna pole and line fishery, ICV Africa entered the In-Transition to MSC (ITM) programme in 2020 after initially engaging with MSC in 2018 through the Fish for Good project that was funded by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
Now, ICV Africa, has become the first fishery to successfully achieve MSC certification and a second group represented by the South African Sustainable Tuna Association (SASTUNA) is also currently in assessment against the MSC Fisheries Standard.
“The ITM program provided us with a clear framework and tools, and the necessary scrutiny, to improve our practices to achieve the required level for MSC certification.”
“The ITM program provided us with a clear framework and tools, and the necessary scrutiny, to improve our practices to achieve the required level for MSC certification,” said Michelle Bellinger, Chief Executive Officer at ICV Africa.
In 2020, the fishery entered the ITM program, a pilot project designed to help fisheries improve their practices within a five-year period in order to become certified against the MSC’s Fisheries Standard. After passing the ITM entry requirements, the fishery then applied for, and received, funding from the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund in 2020 to support the costs associated with making improvements to their practices.
Approximately 2,500 people work in the fishery, which operates largely out of the harbours at Cape Town and Hout Bay. The total catch under assessment for ICV Africa’s certificate is 2,500 metric tonnes – representing nearly half of the total catch volume for the fishery. Most of the albacore are sold to processors for canning and destined for supermarkets in the US and Europe.
While there is very little bycatch from the pole and line method, the fishery needed to improve data collection on what species were being encountered. A fishery observer team was appointed at the end of 2020, which enabled the fishery to have a clear monitoring system in place to collect catch information at-sea.
A review of endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species that may interact with the fishery was also completed, and the fishery implemented training on the safe handling of ETPs, particularly seabirds, to ensure they avoid harming such species.
“Fishing sustainably is not only about ensuring that tuna stocks remain healthy; it is also about protecting the ocean ecosystem and the other species that our vessels interact with. Our clients, and increasingly the end consumers, expect it of us,” notes Bellinger.
According to Clyde Bodenham, President of the South African Tuna Association, the Fish for Good Project as well as the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund grant have helped provide a valuable platform to improve the fishery. “The Association will continue to support our stakeholders, both locally and abroad, to ensure the interests of our sector as a whole are well represented and extend our heartfelt congratulations to ICV Africa for reaching this milestone,” he said.
“This certification demonstrates that pathways do exist for all kinds of fisheries to promote their responsible practices and, where necessary, to improve their practice in order to gain MSC certification,” said Michael Marriott, Program Director: Africa, of MSC
After five years running the ITM program as a pilot, the MSC is planning to launch a permanent version of the program, called the MSC Improvement Program, later in 2024.
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