On the Hook

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On the Hook is a campaign made up of seafood retailers, producers, charities and academics committed to creating a more sustainable fishing industry.

Tuna caught in the Western Pacific end up on the shelves of major retailers across the UK and Europe. The Marine Stewardship Council has re-certified the Western Pacific PNA fishery as "sustainable", even though there is vast amounts of unsustainable fishing done in the area.

In fact, a fishing vessel and crew can use the same fishing gear one day to fish tuna sustainably, receiving the MSC certification, and then on the same trip be hauling turtles, sharks, juvenile tuna and other protected species unsustainably.

The MSC has re-certified the PNA fishery as sustainable. We believe they should have held off on the re-certification until the PNA could prove that all fishing in the region is sustainable.

Video: link

Supporters

Lewis Pugh, UN Patron of the Oceans, Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall, World Wise Foods, Bloom, MIGROS, American Tuna, Blue Marine Foundation, Woolworths, David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Action Centre, Island Conservation Society, sharkProject, Environmental Justice Foundation, Fish 4 Ever, forest & Bird, FairFish, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Richard Benyon MP, Zac Goldsmith MP, John McNally MP, James Heappey MP, Sheryll Murray MP, Simon Clarke MP, Paul Scully MP, Caroline Lucas MP, Prof. Callum Roberts, University of York, Prof. Jennifer Jacquet, New York University, Prof. Megan Bailey, Dalhousie University, Dr Thomas Appleby, University of the West of England, Prof. Daniel Pauly, University of British Columbia, Dr Phillipe Cury, Senior Scientist at IRD.

Articles

  • Apr.23.2018: German documentary questions MSC certification standards. A new documentary, 'The Dark Side of the Fish Seal MSC', questions the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification standards. Whole supermarket chains in Germany overwhelmingly offer MSC-certified goods, and 41% of buyers know the seal and trust it, according to Das Erste. The documentary is to show examples of "how questionable the awarding of the seal by the MSC is", and how "MSC no longer meets its self-imposed standards". One of the co-founders of the eco-label will apparently say MSC is "now following industry interests more than its own eco-standards". The MSC has switched "to the dark side", the documentary will claim. Neil Ramsden, Matilde Mereghetti, Undercurrent News.
  • Oct.19.2017: MSC recertification of PNA fishery delayed amid "unsustainable" claim/ The recertification of an MSC-certified fishery in the Pacific has been delayed following an objection by the International Pole & Line Foundation. Much of the tuna caught in the PNA fishery makes its way to UK supermarkets in the form of MSC-certified Princes tuna supplied by the PNA’s Pacifical organisation. However, the fishery, the MSC and proposals to recertify it as ‘sustainable’ have faced criticism from campaign group On the Hook since the start of September. On the Hook claimed fishing vessels in the area were catching some tuna to sustainable MSC standards, but on the same voyage “hauling turtles, sharks, juvenile tuna and other protected species unsustainably.” On the Hook also alleged the MSC stood to gain an estimated £10m windfall from the fishery’s recertification. In response, the MSC rejected On the Hook’s allegation and disputed the £10m figure, and told The Grocer the recertification decision had been delayed while an independent adjudicator considered the International Pole & Line Foundation’s objection. It added certification was undertaken through an independent third party, and not the MSC, but stressed it welcomed constructive criticism, “which can be used as a platform for strengthening the programme”, according to MSC UK programme director Toby Middleton. However, On the Hook claimed the pause in recertification was “another MSC smokescreen”, and urged the NGO to immediately scrap certification. “The MSC must prevent compartmentalised fisheries, such as the PNA - where purse seine vessels haul up turtles, sharks and other protected species unsustainably on the same trips as those engaged in catching sustainable tuna - from being certified,” a spokesman said. “On the Hook is very clear that there should be no more fish caught in the PNA and then sold with an MSC logo. The certification of compartmentalised fisheries must be stopped now whilst a comprehensive review of the MSC standard takes place. This will ensure that both supermarkets and consumers can trust that the MSC logo means only one thing; a sustainable product, from a wholly sustainable fishery.” This article was amended on Oct.25 to make it clear that MSC certification is not carried out by the MSC itself but through an independent third-party auditor. Kevin White, The Grocer.
  • Sept.16.2017: Tesco is caught out over fishy claim of ‘pole and line’ tuna. Tesco has been making false claims about the sustainability of its tuna, some of which was caught by vessels that used destructive fishing methods. Until this week, the retailer claimed on its website: “We’re proud to say that 100% of our own brand tuna in the UK is caught by pole and line.” Hooking individual tuna by pole and line is the most sustainable method of fishing because it minimises the risk of catching other species, such as endangered turtles and sharks. But in May, Tesco began selling own-brand tuna caught by vessels in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific which use giant purse seine nets to surround large areas. Those vessels also sometimes use fish aggregating devices (FADs) — floating objects that attract a wide range of marine species that are scooped up by nets indiscriminately. The devices cause 100,000 tonnes of accidental catches, known as bycatch, worldwide every year. Last year Tesco acknowledged the damage done by FADs when it banned some John West tuna from its shelves after the company reneged on a promise to stop using the devices. Ben Webster, The Times.