Leading Environmental NGOs Stand Together to Call for 100% Observer Coverage on Industrial Tuna Fishing Vessels

          13 Leading environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) focused on global tuna conservation announced today that they are standing together to call on Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) that regulate tuna fishing in the Indian, Pacific, Atlantic, and Southern Oceans to require observer coverage on all industrial tuna fishing vessels.

          These NGOs include: Birdlife International, Conservation International, The Earthworm Foundation, Ecology Action Centre, Environmental Defense Fund, Fishwise, Greenpeace, International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Nature Conservancy, PEW Charitable Trusts, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, and World Wildlife Fund. Below is their statement.

          Unmonitored tuna fisheries are unacceptable.

          In many tuna fisheries around the world, the lack of independent monitoring of fishing activity means there is much we cannot see – including many known conservation and compliance problems such as illegal fishing, misreported or unreported catch, and bycatch of endangered, threatened & protected species. What we can't see creates risk to fish stocks, to fisheries, and to companies that purchase tuna.

          Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) have the power to reduce these risks by requiring 100% observer coverage – human and/or electronic – on industrial tuna fishing vessels. 100% observer coverage provides the means to mitigate the conservation and compliance issues that put tuna stocks, ocean ecosystems, and tuna supply chains at risk.

          100% observer coverage can and must happen soon. There are no longer credible reasons to delay.

          We are committed to working together to make 100% observer coverage a reality. Join us in support of 100% observer coverage requirements across all tuna RFMOs.

           #unmonitoredunacceptable

          The NGOs will seek broad support from commercial concerns, fisheries organizations, conservation organizations and foundations for 100% observer coverage requirements across RFMOs and fisheries agencies responsible for management of global tuna stocks.

          Consumers can join these NGOs in their call for 100% observer coverage on industrial tuna fishing vessels by adding their signature to the statement of support above by clicking the following link: #UnmonitoredUnacceptable .