Papua New Guinea through the National Fisheries Authority continues to support the regional management initiatives of the PNA, most significant has been the introduction of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainably caught free school skipjack tuna, and with the chain of custody certification recently received delivery can start.
The MSC's fishery certification program and seafood eco-label recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing. MSC is the highest global standard working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental standards , as well as conservation and management practices , backed by a credible 3rd party traceability from the net to the retailer.
PNA MSC certified sustainably caught free school skipjack tuna, is also processed in a socially responsible and fair way in the region's processors and traded to tuna consumers around the world. PNA has attracted global support for this MSC initiative.
The National Fisheries Authority (NFA) hereby inform the regions fishing tuna fishing and processing companies that the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) Board in their regular board meeting held from the 07th, June 2103 in Lae, resolved that:
- Those fishing in PNG waters should immediately start to deliver MSC Free School Skipjack to be processed for "Pacifical" MSC trade.
- Those fishing PNG waters and not yet MSC trained to deliver MSC Free school fish should immediately establish MSC training Officers, and seek MSC certification in their companies and support this initiative of PNG to land MSC Fish.
- PNG today stated that it will recognize FAO "guidelines for the eco labeling of fish and fishery products from marine capture fisheries". Noting that the MSC certification currently meets this high standard.
PNG thinks it vitally important that consumers worldwide are correctly informed about the level of sustainability a seafood ecolabel represents in terms of sustainable tuna management and its effect on the overall ecosystem. The NFA Board wants in the future eco-labels used for tuna caught in its waters, to meet the FAO guidelines for eco-labels, so that the consumer can buy PNG products with confidence. The NFA board noted many self-certification schemes in the market today are increasingly being shown as not being a reliable basis for a trustworthy eco-label “
In support of this PNA MSC initiatives, it is noted that PNG Industry has publically supported the initiative to start delivering MSC certified sustainably caught free school skipjack tuna for processing.