John West New Zealand has launched the first ever MSC certified canned skipjack tuna to Kiwi consumers, a step towards safeguarding our oceans for future generations.
Available in supermarkets throughout New Zealand, the John West canned tuna will feature the blue MSC ‘tick’ of approval, as a result of the collaboration between the MSC, John West New Zealand and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF).
Feeding conscious consumers' expectations
MSC Program Director Oceania Anne Gabriel says, "The MSC commends John West New Zealand, a trailblazer in the canned tuna sector for their concrete action in offering consumers a responsible option in ensuring that their purchase today, goes a long way in protecting our ocean tomorrow, and for generations to come."
"By transforming their supply chain to source only MSC certified skipjack tuna, John West New Zealand is feeding straight into consumers’ expectations as they become increasingly concerned about the environment, food and are more prepared now than ever to take responsibility for the part they play. A recent survey showed that consumers are clearly voting with their wallets with 75 % of consumers citing that in order to save our oceans, we need to choose sustainable seafood."
Sourcing from world's largest sustainable tuna fishery
The range is exclusively sourced from the world’s largest sustainable purse seine fishery, Pacifical, controlled by the PNA (Parties to Nauru Agreement), globally recognised as leaders in tuna management and conservation. MSC certified in 2011, PNA meets the standard’s rigorous third party assessment addressing three core principles of sustainable stock; minimising environmental impacts and effective management.
“In 2012, we pledged that by 2016, John West New Zealand would only source skipjack tuna caught in purse seine fishing nets, using independently verified fish aggregation device (FAD)-free methods" says Chris Buddle, New Zealand Country Manager for Simplot, who own the John West Australia and New Zealand brands.
Close collaboration brings fully traceable tuna to market
“After three years of extensive research, close collaboration with MSC, Pacifical and WWF, I am proud to announce that we are now not only sourcing FAD-free, our skipjack tuna is also MSC certified, sustainable and completely traceable from ocean to can.
“Our commitment extends much further, however, and aims not only to educate, but also to ingrain this perspective. We must position ocean sustainability as the ‘norm’ and only option moving forward”, says Buddle.
WWF-New Zealand Head of Campaigns Peter Hardstaff says, “Globally, our oceans are in crisis due to a history of mismanagement by humanity. As a result of the collaborative effort by WWF, MSC and John West, New Zealanders now have the choice to buy cans of clearly labelled Pacifical MSC certified, sustainably caught tuna in supermarkets for the first time. This is a major step forward for sustainable fishing in the Pacific, where the tuna is sourced, thanks to the leadership of John West New Zealand.
“MSC is the world’s most credible sustainability standard for wild caught fish, a process which requires independent third party auditors to evaluate a fishery’s performance against the most robust sustainability standards available globally”, Hardstaff says.