Culimer in Fishery Improvement Project for MSC certification of line caught Tuna in Vietnam
Culimer will join WWF as stakeholder in a Fishery Improvement Project (F.I.P.) in order to help improve deficiencies that will be identified in a fresh MSC pre-assessment study. The F.I.P. is being targeted at improving catching methods and data, tracking & tracing and preservation methods to reduce post harvest waste. The final goal of the project will be MSC certification of the Vietnamese line caught Big Eye and Yellow Fin tuna.
After finishing a successful circle hook implementation and data collection project last year Culimer and WWF are looking forward to initiate further improvements in the Vietnamese tuna fishery. Together with multiple stakeholders and WWF as coordinator they have proposed to initiate a new Fishery Improvement Project (F.I.P.) in Vietnam. The project will focus on the improvement of catching methods and data, tracking & tracing and preservation methods to reduce post harvest waste.
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“With data showing that Yellow Fin tuna stocks are in healthy condition, and Big Eye stocks not in overfished state (but overfishing is occurring), there is a realistic chance of seeing MSC certification in the coming years for line caught tuna from Vietnam”, says Martin Brugman, Managing Director of Culimer. “A previous MSC pre-assessment study has identified the lack of resource data and region wide resource management as the most important sustainability issues of the Vietnamese tuna fishery that needed to be addressed. We welcome the governmental, NGO and industry efforts to join in the developments towards MSC certification.”
Supported by the previous MSC pre-assessment study, in close cooperation with the Vietnamese governmental agencies and supported by the Dutch government, considerable improvements have been achieved. Vietnam has become a cooperative non-member (CNM) of the WCPFC body that regulates the highly migratory tuna stocks in West and Central Pacific, with the intention to become full member. Furthermore, the circle hook project by WWF and Culimer helped to collect important catch data and reduce by-catch issues significantly. These results will help forming a basis for the F.I.P.
Fishery Improvement Project
The F.I.P. will be targeted at improving catching methods and data, tracking & tracing, preservation methods to reduce post harvest waste and increased cooperation with the WCPFC regional fishery management organisation for tuna. Culimer will continue to support the sustainability efforts under the F.I.P. in combination with its super freezing activities, that reduce carbon footprint and distribution losses whilst improving quality and subsequently value, compared to fresh tuna to be exported by air.
WWF training November 2010
Just before the start of the Tuna season for 2010 a new group of observers was trained by the WWF. This session was held in Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh district from 18th till 22nd November 2010 and topics such as data collection, reporting methods as well as the handling of safety equipment like de-hookers and line cutters were addressed.
Another big step forward was taken towards a more sustainable fisheries management in this part of Vietnam.
Below are some pictures illustrating this training session.
WWF training pictures Vietnam November 2010
WWF and Culimer have organized a training session for both fishermen and observers in Nha Trang (Vietnam) in March 2010. During this training session agreements have been made with fishermen to start fishing with 100% circle hooks. Observers have been trained in becoming crew member of a fishing trip. They have been trained in how to identify and record caught fishes, how to take measurement of different species, how to use equipment, etc. The observers are now able to observe fishing trips and how to instruct fishermen in the use of equipment (e.g. de-hookers and line-cutters).
The first 100% circle hooks fishing vessels will head to sea by the end of March 2010. All caught tuna will be separately sourced as circle hook super frozen tuna.
WWF circle hook training March 2010
CTI Business Summmit, Manilla (Philippines) 19-21 January 2010
Private sector outlines plan to protect Coral Triangle
Seafood, travel and tourism operators in the Coral Triangle today drafted a set of industry statements outlining a shared intention to reduce the impact of their businesses on the world´s most important marine region.
More than 160 delegates gathered this week in the Philippine capital Manila for the Coral Triangle Business Summit to reach agreements on how their industries could contribute to the protection of the Coral Triangle and the 120 million livelihoods that depend on its marine resources.
Participants included leaders from tuna and live reef fish businesses, airlines and resort owners, as well as government ministers and officials, and non-government organizations.
In the seafood sector, fishing operators and buyers agreed to address the problem of overcapacity and overfishing through a number of measures including:
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Ensuring that fish are not sourced from illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) operations;
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Implementing catch and trade documentation schemes to ensure traceability;
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The use of third party certification schemes such as MSC to promote sustainability;
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Reducing bycatch (including juvenile fish) through adopting bycatch appropriate technology and techniques; and
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The promotion of low carbon fish production methods and trade practices.
Martin Brugman, president of global seafood supplier Culimer B.V said one of the issues discussed was how adding value to fish could help operators to better address the problem of overfishing.
"Ultra-low temperature production of tuna for example allows for better quality fish when it´s landed and helps fishermen get by taking less fish from the oceans but making more dollars," said Mr Brugman.
Cebu Air used the summit to significantly extend its program to help protect Apo Reef in the Philippines. ´Bright skies for Juan´ is an initiative that allows consumers to donate money with each flight to a WWF climate change adaptation program to protect the Philippines´ largest coral reef.
Head of WWF´s Coral Triangle Program Dr Lida Pet Soede said the summit had been a huge success and had laid some strong foundations for greater participation of the private sector in the protection of the Coral Triangle.
"This first ever Coral Triangle Business Summit has been a great success and the private sector has shown it is willing to take greater responsibility for the millions of livelihoods that depend on the health of the marine environment in this part of the world," Dr Pet Soede said.
The Summit was organized by the Philippine Department of Agriculture and the Philippine Department of the Environment and Natural Resources in collaboration with WWF and with the support of USAID.
For more information:
Charlie Stevens, WWF Coral Triangle Media Office, +61 424 649 689, cstevens@wwf.org.au
Keith Symington, WWF Coral Triangle Bycatch Strategy Leader, +84 913248853, keith.symington@wwfgreatermekong.org
Paolo Mangahas, WWF Coral Triangle Programme, +63 9293600121
Gregg Yan, Media Manager WWF Philippines, +63 2 920 7923/26/31
For broadcast quality footage and high res images go to
http://www.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/coraltriangle/coraltriangle_news/events/coral_triangle_initiative_business_summit/
Coral Triangle Initiative Business Summit 2010 website: www.ctibusinesssummit.net
Observer program April - May 2009
The pilot program was followed by a first circle hook trial in 2009. This project has yielded positive results, providing new optimism for the improved responsibility and future sustainability of the fisheries.
A short summary of the mentioned results:
- In 2008 the project initiated a first trial on the use of Circle Hooks in Vietnam, a type of hook especially designed to reduce bycatch of marine turtles by as much as 80% compared to traditional J-hooks.
- Keith Symington, WWF Western Pacific Bycatch Leader, says that the recent trial has confirmed that the tuna catch rate with Circle Hooks is comparable to J-Hooks.
- Keith Symington also says that the quality of the stainless steel Circle Hooks was very good and hold better bait than J-hooks.
- All caught marine turtles were released alive and sent back in to the sea, thanks to the introduced equipment in December 2008.
WWF, NOAA and Culimer are now planning to scale up the percentage of Circle Hooks for the 2010 fishing season.
For more information you can check the publication of WWF from 28th December 2009:http://www.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/vietnam/?185281/Fisheries-Bycatch-Reduction-Program-Catches-On
WWF pilot observer program Dec 2008 - Jan 2009
The first training in December 2008, focused on rescuing sea turtles and observer skills, was followed up by a pilot observer program (December 2008 - January 2009).
This pilot has created a basis of information of the current long line fishing operations with the traditional J-hooks and the interaction of marine turtles with fishing gear.
First training session December 2008
In December 2008 the first training sessions took place, where local fishermen were trained on the use of circle hooks and turtle de-hooking techniques. Furthermore a select group of government managers was trained in Observer Program methods (Training of Trainers).
The training sessions were followed by the Observer Program pilot. Observers started recording baseline data of the traditional “J”-hooks fishing method, followed by a commencement of circle hook trials. Results of these pilot trips will serve to enlarge the Observer Program.
Culimer had a MSC pre-assessment conducted, which highlighted the required improvements in order to reach a future certification on the operational level, as well as the resource management on (inter) national level.
The resulting action plan has resulted in a number of programs targeted to help create viable solutions, not just request improvements.
MSC pre-assessment
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