Tuna catch is above board

A first for Senegal

SENEGAL: An Atlantic Ocean tuna fishery has become the first fishery in Senegal attain accreditation from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) following four-year Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) that was undertaken in collaboration with the national fisheries department and Key Traceability, a seafood supply chain consultancy.

Represented by fishing companies Compagnie Africaine de Pêche au Sénégal SA (Capsen), a division of Dongwon Industries, and Senegalese-founded Grand Bleu SA, the fishery is managed regionally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and six vessels flagged to Senegal operate in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and high seas of Senegal, Mauritania, Cape Verde, the Republic of Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The FIP was launched in 2020 following a pre-assessment against the MSC Fisheries Standard, which provided a clear workplan of improvement actions to achieve the required level for MSC certification. To be MSC certified, a fishery must show the target stocks are healthy, that it minimises its impact on the environment and has effective management in place.

While the vessels under assessment demonstrated observer coverage for 100% of fishing trips, the fishery needed to improve their data collection on what species were being encountered. Partnering with the Fisheries Surveillance Directorate (DPSP) in 2022, the fishery delivered a series of observer training workshops and introduced a new, digital template to collect catch information at-sea and keep accurate record of any unintentional interactions with endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species.

To reduce the impact of FADs on non-target species and vulnerable habitats, the fishery adopted the use of non-entangling FADs and is in the process of transitioning to FADs made of biodegradable materials, such as bamboo, cotton and coconut fibre.

“Establishing new policies and implementing new measures onboard commercial purse seine fishing vessels is a challenging task that has required collaboration with all interested parties, at fleet-level and within national management authorities.”

Emily Wardrop, of Key Traceability, said: “Establishing new policies and implementing new measures onboard commercial purse seine fishing vessels is a challenging task that has required collaboration with all interested parties, at fleet-level and within national management authorities.”

Certification means the fishery now supplies the international market with sustainably caught tuna, including Asia, Europe, North- and South America. Capsen sells up to a half of its annual catch to local processor, Societe De Conserverie En Afrique SA (SCASA), which is also owned by Dongwon Industries and exports approximately 70% of its MSC certified tuna to the United States.

“We work closely with the local processing plant, SCASA, that packages our tuna raw materials and is itself certified to the MSC’s Chain of Custody Standard,” said Jason Bo Seung Kim, Vessel Operation Manager of Capsen.

Mohamadou S. Wade, Crew and International Relations Manager for Grand Bleu, added: “Grand Bleu is committed to preserving the rich marine resources and ensuring that this invaluable heritage is passed on to future generations. Our operations are designed to empower the local workforce, enhance the infrastructure, and provide long-term socio-economic benefits to the west African coastal region, solidifying our commitment to the sustainable and inclusive growth of Senegal.”

Dr Fambaye Ngom Sow, head of coastal and high migratory pelagic resources at Centre de Recherches Océanographiques Dakar-Thiaroye de l’Institut Sénégalais de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA/CRODT), said: “Achieving MSC certification demonstrates the commitment of Senegal to manage our fisheries and marine resources responsibly, and is the result of the collaborative efforts by the tuna industry, fisheries management authorities, and our partners. We hope this certification will strengthen our reputation as a regional leader in fisheries sustainability.”

“The West African Atlantic fisheries are among the world’s most productive but are increasingly threatened by high fishing pressure and unsustainable management practices. The certification marks a transition to sustainable fishing in the region and is a major win for regional fisheries management and the people of Senegal,” noted Edouard Le Bart, MSC’s Regional Program Director for Southern Europe and Africa, as he congratulated the stakeholders involved in the fishery.

PHOTO: Tuna purse seine vessel in the Port of Dakar, Senegal. (Capsen SA)