February 18, 2023
From left to right : Emile Mole (Manager of Navimon fleet), Thomas Auger (Marine officer for CI New Caledonia), Mario Lopez (Manager of Pescana, Armement du Nord fleets & processing plant and president of FPH & AITPH), Jessica Bouye (Operating Manager of Pacific Tuna processing plant)
NOUMEA, New Caledonia (Feb. 17, 2023) – Conservation International (CI) and several tuna industry groups have formally launched a new collaboration focused on strengthening the environmental, social, and economic performance of the domestic longline tuna fisheries in Fiji and in New Caledonia. The partnership marks a critical step in the design and launch of Tuna Jurisdictional Approach (JA) initiatives, which leverage policy and market-based interventions to support environmentally sustainable and socially responsible fisheries.
Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with the Fiji Fishing Industry Association (FFIA) on November 21, 2022, and subsequently with the Fédération des Pêcheurs Hauturiers (FPH), and with the Association des Industriels de Transformation des Produits Hauturiers (AITPH) in New Caledonia on December 15, 2022.
The 5-year agreements outline the key shared priorities of the new partnership, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each organization in driving holistic improvements in the domestic longline tuna fleets.
Mrs. Radhika Kumar, FFIA president, indicated that this MoU signals the dawn of collaborative work with Conservation International: “We are committed to the goals outlined in the agreement, which provides the necessary platform that should benefit the tuna sector and those that rely on it directly and indirectly ”.
The improvement strategies will be co-designed and implemented at a jurisdictional-scale, as noted by Mario Lopez, President of the FPH and AITPH: “The Jurisdictional Approach initiative will include 100% of the local tuna industry in New Caledonia, ensuring that all tuna fisheries operating within the New Caledonia Exclusive Economic Zone meet the highest standards required by high value tuna markets”.
In response to the MoU signings, Susana Waqainabete-Tuisese, Senior Director for CI’s Pacific Ocean and Island Program noted the following: “The collaboration between Conservation International and the seafood industry in each country is the first of its kind for each party and will achieve sustainability outcomes by aligning incentives among government, market and tuna industry actors.”
Conservation International acknowledges FFIA, FPH and AITPH for their commitment to the tuna JA initiatives, as well as the Walmart Foundation for the financial support.
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Go to Conservation.org for more, and follow our work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.