Amanda Nickson, senior officer at the Pew Environment Group, issued the following statement in response to the formal notification that an ‘eco-label’ certification has been granted for ‘free-school’ skipjack tuna in the Pacific managed by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA).

“Pew applauds the PNA governments for their leadership and commitment to sustainability. This is a globally significant fishery, supplying up to one-quarter of the world’s skipjack tuna. Through the use of this more sustainable fishing method, reducing the impact on juvenile tuna and other marine species, such as sharks and turtles, these eight island countries are taking concrete steps towards ensuring a healthier future for tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean.”

Background
The PNA includes the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu. Skipjack tuna is the main species used in canned tuna. ‘Free school’ describes catching schools of tuna without using equipment such as fish aggregating devices (FADs