FishSource

Indian Ocean tuna - longline (Bumble Bee/FCF) (FIP)

Last Updated:

Progress Rating: C

Evaluation Start Date: 2020-01-11

Type: Comprehensive

Status: Active

FIP Lead: Bumble Bee Foods (BBF), Ocean Outcomes (OO), Fong Chun Fishery Company, Ltd. (FCFCL), KangTai (KT Asia)

Stock Profile Link
Yellowfin tuna - Indian Ocean
Albacore - Indian Ocean

Comments:

The last stage 4 is between 12-24 months old with recent stage 3 activity reported in the last 6 months. FIP drops to C rating.

1. FIP Development	Mar 18	Fishery assessment or scoping document made public 11 March 2018 — MSC pre-assessment
2. FIP Launch	Nov 19	Confirmation of project participants 10 November 2019 — MoU of participants
2. FIP Launch	Jan 21	Workplan made public 1 January 2021 — Updated workplan 11 January 2020 — FIP workplan
3. FIP Implementation	Oct 22	FIP activities undertaken 1 October 2022 — The FIP has received updated observer data including new data on ETP species. 22 June 2022 — The FIP continues to work with TNC on a bulk procurement of EMS that will be implemented fleet-wide; this progress is ongoing. 1 May 2022 — The FIP's position statement has been circulated ahead of the 2022 IOTC meeting 18 April 2022 — The FIP has held a series of recent meetings to improve stakeholder engagement; In the Spring of 2022, KT and FCF met with 50 companies to discuss issues facing fisheries and introduced the concept of a FIP. 1 January 2022 — The FIP has developed 'commonly encountered species' posters, which have been shared with all of the FIP vessels. 25 November 2021 — The FIP has sent introductory letters to all flag states to begin discussions with them. 25 November 2021 — The FIP held a seabird bycatch mitigation workshop with FIP participants, including 4 vessel owners with hookpod. 10 July 2021 — FCF wrote to the Taiwan Fisheries Agency to inquire about the enforcement of domestic shark fin legislation. 1 July 2021 — New ISSF conservation measures on shark fins and yellowfin tuna rebuilding have been adopted. Bumble Bee is a participating company and adhere's to these measures. 7 June 2021 — The FIP sent an advocacy letter to the IOTC prior to the annual Commission meeting in June 2021. 1 February 2021 — Final draft of the fleet data collection and reporting improvement plan was published 20 January 2021 — Bumble Bee letter sent to Madagascar 15 January 2021 — ISSF ran a virtual train the trainer session in in December 2020 4 September 2020 — WPSTA Year-2 Surveillance Audit Report was published 1 June 2020 — Analysis produced by Ocean Outcomes identifying strategies for improved data collection and reporting. The analysis includes a plan to develop and implement an electronic-observer system.
4. Improvements in Fishing Practices and Fishery Management	Jul 21	Verifiable improvement in policy/management and fishing practices 1 July 2021 — FIP has published and implemented the final version of the data collection and reporting improvement plan
5. Improvements on the Water	—	Verifiable improvement on the water
6. MSC certification (optional)	—	MSC certificate made public