Thai Union Group releases sustainability report

June 10, 2024 - Thai Union Group PCL has released its 2023 Sustainability Report, showcasing significant progress towards the goals set out in its SeaChange 2030 sustainability strategy.

The comprehensive report details Thai Union's initiatives and achievements in environmental stewardship, social responsibility and sustainable development.

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"Thai Union's commitment to sustainability is stronger than ever, and the progress we have made in 2023 is a testament to our dedication to leading positive change within the seafood industry," said Thai Union Group CEO Thiraphong Chansiri. "Our SeaChange 2030 strategy not only sets ambitious goals but also lays a clear path towards achieving them. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I am proud of the strides we have made and remain deeply committed to driving further improvements not just across our operations but the industry around the world."

Key achievements from 2023 include:

• Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Reduced Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 8.8 percent compared to 2022
• Tuna Monitoring: Increased the percentage of tuna purchased from vessels with electronic monitoring and/or human observers from 71 percent in 2021 to 90 percent
• Sustainable Tuna Sourcing: Sourced 85 percent of the company's total tuna volume from fisheries that are MSC-certified, in MSC assessment, or in a credible Fishery Improvement Program, up 4 percent from 2022.
• Global Environmental Initiatives: Became a signatory to two global environmental initiatives-Ocean Breakthroughs and Transforming our Food Systems at COP27 on Climate Change
• Shrimp Decarbonisation Initiative: Launched a new initiative developed with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Ahold Delhaize USA to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in shrimp farming
• Human Rights: Published its Human Rights Risk Assessment and updated Human Rights Policy

SeaChange 2030 includes broad and aggressive goals that will drive global impact for both people and planet, while actively supporting the delivery of 10 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). The goals include a 42 percent reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050; a THB 250 million (more than US$7 million) investment towards the protection and restoration of critical ecosystems; implementation of zero water discharge, zero waste to landfill and zero food loss at its five key global facilities by 2030; ensuring 100 percent of Thai Union's shrimp is produced minimising ecosystem impact, extending its responsible wild-caught sourcing program to all key species, and providing a safe, equitable and decent workplace.

"Each year, we push the boundaries of our industry in sustainability, and 2023 was no exception," said Adam Brennan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Thai Union. "The advancements detailed in our latest Sustainability Report reflect our ongoing efforts to protect our oceans, support our communities and ensure the long-term viability of our business. With SeaChange 2030, we are well-positioned to continue this critical work and inspire others to join us in these efforts."

Thai Union's ongoing drive for positive change was again recognised in 2023, with the Company listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the 10th straight year and ranked number one on the Seafood Stewardship Index for the third consecutive time for delivering towards the UN SDGs. In early 2023, the Group achieved a B rating from global environmental disclosure non-profit CDP for its commitment and transparency in addressing the threats from climate change.

For more information, visit HERE.

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GFCM strengthening collective efforts to eradicate IUU fishing

June 7, 2024 - The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) is gearing up to effectively curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Countries are working collectively to establish and implement all necessary measures to protect the well-being of our seas and the livelihoods of coastal communities. The GFCM actively supports these efforts, ensuring compliance with regulations in place.

© Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Türkiye

In 2017, the GFCM adopted a Regional Plan of Action to Combat IUU Fishing (RPOA-IUU), offering guidance to GFCM members on how to combat IUU fishing through national plans while working to harmonise relevant measures across the region. The GFCM-Lex platform, a multilingual online repository of national fisheries legislation, provides a strong foundation for a united approach to regulation in the fight against IUU fishing.

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"This year, Albania has made significant efforts in combating IUU fishing through impactful measures. We are amending the national law on fisheries to further align it with GFCM recommendations, also introducing a restructured sanction system that ensures penalties are proportional to the severity of infringements." Marco Kule, Fisheries and Aquaculture Policies Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Albania.

Reinforcing regional control and enforcement mechanisms is a critical aspect of the GFCM's work. This goal is in line with the overall objective of extending the reach of the GFCM Compliance Committee by building capacity to ensure that its growing number of tools in the fight against iUU fishing are in place and operational across all the subregions of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Measures in place to fight IUU fishing

"The fight against IUU is a top priority for the European Union and its Member States. Over the last ten years, we have developed a lot of tools in the Mediterranean in order to combat IUU activities, particularly in improving the capacities of all Mediterranean countries." Valérie Lainé, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission.

The GFCM supports countries in their efforts to eradicate IUU fishing through a variety of tools, ranging from technology to training programmes and digital solutions like electronic logbooks. Logbooks help inspectors in more than 20 countries and enable the traceability of fish from net to plate. Meanwhile, the GFCM has laid down minimum technical standards for a vessel monitoring system (VMS) to allow members to track vessels' positions and activities in real time and send data to a centralised repository where they can be used both to inform fisheries management strategies and to detect IUU activity. Progress is also ongoing on catch reporting mechanisms for small-scale fisheries tailored to the needs of the sector.

"Türkiye has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to sustainable fisheries, recognising the importance of responsible stewardship in ensuring the health and viability of marine ecosystems. In line with this commitment, Türkiye has taken monitoring, control and surveillance measures to higher levels (than ever before." Erdinç Güneş, Senior Fisheries Expert, General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Türkiye.

Detection and enforcement are further underpinned by standard vessel sighting procedures and a regional fleet register listing all the larger vessels (over 15m length overall) that are allowed to fish, transship or land in waters of the GFCM area of application. Conversely, none of these actions are permitted for vessels not on the list.

Similarly, the port state measures adopted by GFCM contracting oblige any foreign vessel wishing to enter or use their ports to prove that they have not been involved in IUU activities. Since 2016, GFCM Recommendation 40/2016/1 has laid out the minimum set of standard measures that must be in place; these measures align with the Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA).

International joint inspection and surveillance schemes are on the rise, with the two most recently launched schemes targeting dolphinfish fisheries in international waters of the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea. These programmes enable the pooling of essential resources and technology amongst members and support sighting procedures to deter any unflagged vessels. The GFCM also maintains a centralised list of vessels presumed to have carried out IUU fishing.

Certified legitimate catches

"Since the launch of its Halieutic strategy in 2009, Morocco has made significant efforts in terms of resource sustainability, particularly to combat iUU fishing. Within this framework, it established a catch certification system. It has also equipped vessels over 12 metres with VMS." Fatima Zohra Hassouni, Head of the sustainability and resource management division, Maritime Fisheries Directorate, Morocco.

One of the latest innovations in the field is the introduction of catch documentation schemes (CDS) for key commercial species in the context of GFCM multi annual management plans. In 2023, countries adopted two binding recommendations for permanent CDS: one for red coral in the Mediterranean and one for turbot in the Black Sea. Tagging and other traceability tools will be used to certify that harvests and catches, respectively, have been made in line with conservation and management measures, mitigating the risk of illegally sourced products entering the market.

With each new tool and measure put in place in the GFCM area of application, illegal operations become more and more difficult.

"The objective (of the control of compliance with regulations) is to avoid resorting to the use of prohibited gear and the landing of unauthorised or prohibited fishing products. The second aspect is dissemination and awareness. This is done through seminars with professionals and fishers and in collaboration with civil society. The aim is also to raise awareness among people not to buy products that may have come from prohibited fishing." Ali Cheikh Sboui, Director General, Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DGPA), Tunisia.

June 5: a day for global action against IUU fishing

Each year, on June 5, the United Nations celebrate the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing. The proposal to declare this day was made by the GFCM in 2015 and, following extensive consultations, it was unanimously endorsed by the 115th Session of the FAO Council held in December 2016 and by the 40th session of the FAO Conference held in July 2017.

It is estimated that IUU fishing accounts for about 20 percent of the world's catch. It creates unfair competition with compliant fishers, threatening the livelihoods of coastal communities. 

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing distorts competition and markets, and it undermines sustainability policies. It frequently involves harmful fishing methods, which severely damage marine ecosystems and can ruin fisheries management plans that rely on accurate knowledge of the status of marine resources.

For more information, visit HERE.

The Aquaculturists

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International Conference on Aquaculture 2024: panoramic view of innovations

June 7, 2024 - The International Conference on Aquaculture 2024 will take place on October 17-19, at Mường Thanh Luxury Phu Quoc Hotel, Phu Quoc Archipelago, Vietnam. The event will be organised by the College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Vietnam.

Scope

Aquaculture has been rapidly developed and advanced in Vietnam and all over the world. Seafood products are a significant source of protein for people worldwide. With the help of new scientific innovations, the aquaculture industry has developed high-tech seafood production processes and adapted to the rising challenges. The International Conference on Aquaculture with the theme 'Panoramic View of Innovations' will be organised to share new findings of aquaculture innovations and strengthen the collaboration among stakeholders globally to enhance seafood production. This will be an important platform where all aquaculture stakeholders can share their innovative ideas and insights. 

Topics

1. Aquaculture engineering (aquaculture system)
2. Biotechnology in aquaculture
3. Genetic and selective breeding
4. Broodstock and larviculture
5. Aquaculture environment management
6. Fish nutrition and physiology
7. Fish health and management
8. Seafood processing and safety
9. Animal welfare
10. Industry innovations sharing

Exhibition

Companies are invited to sponsor this conference through advertisements on the program booklets, banners, and backdrops. A booth for companies will be allocated at the conference venue.

Location

Phu Quoc Island, sitting off the coast of Cambodia, is one of the most appealing attractions in Vietnam. It offers endless beaches, remote islands and dense tropical rainforests. 

For more information, visit HERE.

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