Webinar will urge European policymakers to take the final steps to secure strong conservation for valuable species

 

On Thursday, 21 April, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Global Tuna Alliance, Tuna Protection Alliance, and HarvestStrategies.org will co-sponsor a webinar for European seafood retailers, trade representatives, and policymakers to discuss and encourage the implementation of sustainable management for Atlantic bluefin tuna, skipjack, bigeye, and yellowfin tunas, and swordfish.

These stocks, worth billions of dollars each year, are managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and this year could mark the end of a decade journey towards a science-based harvest strategy for Atlantic bluefin. Once in place, this management method, which uses scientific advice and pre-agreed benchmarks to set sustainable catch limits for the stock, will serve as a guidepost for all future management of tunas by ICCAT.

This year is a critical opportunity for the European Union, and its support for a harvest strategy could change the trajectory of fisheries management.

WHAT: “Final steps towards sustainable tuna sourcing in Europe” webinar

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:
Moderator: Steven Adolf.

Steven Adolf MSc is researcher and consultant on management policies for sustainable tuna fisheries and author of the book Tuna Wars.

-1- On the way Harvest Strategies work and update on the state of affairs in Iccat:

Hilario Murua, senior scientist at the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

-2- The Harvest Strategies and markets, the Harvest Strategies as necessary condition for sustainability certification and sustainable sourcing. What will be the consequence of not having them in place in time? What is the planned time-schedule for HS in RFMOs, in particularly ICCAT?

Tom Pickerell Executive Director, Global Tuna Alliance (GTA) and Florie Loth, Member Manager, Earthworm Foundation (Tuna Protection Alliance)

-3- Tropical Tunas in ICCAT. When are the Harvest Strategies on the agenda? Importance of a stable resourcing of Atlantic Tropical Tunas to supply the European market for retail and trade.

Héctor Fernández, Sustainable Development Manager Bolton Group.

-4- Atlantic Bluefin Tuna: This year’s opportunity to adopt a Harvest Strategy as the final piece for renewed sustainability for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna.

Bertrand Wendling, Director-General, Sathoan Fisheries Cooperative and Nolwenn Cosnard, Fishing Officer at the Sathoan Fisheries Cooperative.

-5- North Atlantic Swordfish: setting the stage in ICCAT for Harvest Strategy adoption for North Atlantic Swordfish in 2023.

The presentations are followed by round table for discussion between the presenters, joined by Shana Miller, director of the harveststratgies.org and co-host of the webinar.

The webinar will finish with questions from the audience to the members of the panel.

WHEN:
Thursday, 21 April from 14.00-16.00 CEST

WHERE:
RSVP online at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/final-steps-towards-sustainable-tuna-sourcing-in-europe-tickets-302917062087

Notes

Dr. Hilario Murua has more than 20 years’ experience in fish population dynamics, assessment and management. He has chaired the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Scientific Committee and served as rapporteur for the Bigeye Species Group at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).

Dr. Tom Pickerell is a marine biologist with over 15 years’ experience in seafood sustainability; including wild fisheries and shellfish aquaculture, certification schemes and consumer guides and social responsibility in seafood, and founder of Tomolamola Consulting.

Florie Loth is agricultural engineer by training with over 13 years of experience in the retail sector starting her career at the fish department of the French retailer Auchan as a department manager before joining TUPA at the Earthworm Foundation.

Héctor Fernández MSc has a long trajectory on the development and review of corporate policies, codes and manuals on sustainable fisheries and about policies and procedures. He collaborated with external stakeholders as member of regulatory development bodies and councils, drafting sectoral best practices manuals, codes of conduct, standards, norms, guidelines, and other policies. The last four years he is in charge of the Bolton Food’s policy agenda on social & environmental sustainability.

Bertrand Wendling MSc is trained as an fisheries agricultural engineer. He was Head of the Fisheries and Marine Environment Service at the French ministry of agriculture, worked as a technical advisor on the Seychelles Fishing Authority before joining Sathoan in 2005. As the Sathoan-director he has been closely working on the MSC certification of bluefin tuna.

Nolwenn Cosnard MSc is trained in aquatic environmental bioscience in the Mediterranean and Tropical waters. For three years she is active at Sathoan and was involved with the ICCAT negotiations.