Anti-Shark Finning Measure for Tuna Fishing Vessel Owners

Anti-Shark Finning Measure Aims to Influence World’s Tuna Fishing Vessel Owners

1 September 2012 – Beginning today, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is calling on all tuna processors, traders and importers to refrain from transactions with vessels that carry out shark finning or with vessel owning companies that do not have a public policy prohibiting the practice. This ban is the final step of a sweeping measure that saw the world’s most recognized tuna brands adopting policies prohibiting the act of removing a shark’s fin and discarding the carcass at sea.

Shark finning violates the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s (FAO) Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries as well as several other resolutions adopted by the FAO, other international marine organizations and national governments.

“This measure, and the support it has received from our partners in industry, puts fishing vessel owners on notice that shark finning is an unacceptable, illegal practice and continuing to engage in it will drastically shrink the market for your product,” said Susan Jackson, President of ISSF. “ISSF applauds the many companies that have adopted an anti-finning policy and we look forward to that list growing even longer.”

ISSF participating companies were required to establish public policies banning the practice in June of this year. You can access those policies here.

About the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF)
The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is a global coalition of scientists, the tuna industry and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the world’s leading conservation organization, promoting science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing bycatch and promoting ecosystem health. To learn more, visit their website at iss-foundation.org.

ENDS

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