From Sea to Can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking
G From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 1 TABLE OF EXECUTIVE
his marks the second consecutive year that SUMMARY Greenpeace Southeast TAsia evaluates the performance of canned tuna brands in Thailand and canneries in Indonesia and CONTENTS © Oscar Siagian / Greenpeace the Philippines – this time, in one combined report. Last year’s reports revealed that the region overall is catch in 2014. This was the marine environment. destructive fishing practices page 3 page 32 lagging when it comes to nearly 2.85 million metric Unfortunately, it is an area remain widespread. Last EXECUTIVE SUMMARY RECOMMENDATIONS ensuring that customers are tons of commercial tuna where illegal, unreported and year, several companies provided with sustainably species, worth more than unregulated (IUU) fishing, were given the benefit of page 5 and equitably sourced tuna. USD 22.68 billion at the final forced labor and human the doubt that they were THE CANNED TUNA SUPPLY This year, things remain in point of sale.2 rights abuses have joined being truthful on certain CHAIN a mediocre state overall, together. Tuna companies questions, when it was later but with a glimmer of hope Given the pressures fish continue to face numerous discovered that some of page 8 since most companies are species face globally, many scandals of labor abuse and the answers they provided
SECTION ONE CANNED TUNA TRADE demonstrating improvement. tuna stocks are severely slavery in the tuna supply were actually untrue. To overfished. As of 2016, the chain, threats of trade ensure better accuracy of page 10 SECTION three Tuna are amongst the most International Union for embargoes from exporting responses, Greenpeace is HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES economically valuable fish Conservation of Nature’s countries, and accusations requiring further supporting in the world as well as an (IUCN) Red List has listed of non-disclosure in terms documentation for claims page 12 important predator species in Thunnus alalunga (albacore) of production information made by the companies. FISHING SUSTAINABLY – NOT ALL Acknowledgements marine ecosystems.1 The tuna and T. albacares (yellowfin) – they do not even know for GEAR TYPES ARE THE SAME industry provides thousands as “Near Threatened”, sure what they are selling PERFORMANCE THIS YEAR WAS Written by: Layout: of jobs in the catching, T. obesus (bigeye) and in their cans. Even when MIXED. Fortunately, there is a page 14 James Mitchell Tasya P. Maulana processing, and trading T. orientalis (Pacific tuna companies do have a higher rate of engagement by METHODOLOGY Ephraim Batungbacal sector worldwide, including bluefin) as “Vulnerable”, T. better understanding of their the companies this year on Illustrations: in many developing coastal thynnus (Atlantic bluefin) supply chain (traceability), the survey process than there Special thanks to: Ramadhani states, and generates as “Endangered”, and T. they can be very reluctant was for last year’s report. Arifsyah Nasution significant revenues in terms maccoyii (southern bluefin) to communicate this Over two-thirds of the largest page 16 Anchalee Pipattanawattanakul Photos: of access fees. Globally, as “Critically Endangered”3. information to buyers tuna brands and canneries TUNA BRANDS & CANNERIES Korawan Buadoktoom Oscar Siagian commercial tuna is worth Most of the companies in this (transparency) to allow them from the Southeast Asian SCORECARD Sumardi Ariansyah Sanjit Das about USD 42 billion per report are catching one or to make informed purchasing region (Thailand, Philippines, Therese Salvador Ardiles Rante year at the final point of sale, more of these species of tuna. decisions. and Indonesia) participated page 18 Cat Dorey Paul Hilton and about a quarter of that this year. This led to a higher COMPANY PROFILES Sarah King figure to the fishermen who Because the tuna industry While the methodology for degree of communication Vince Cinches target the fish. often operates at a great assessing each company’s and corroboration of data Zelda Soriano distance from the shores, this performance has remained provided for analysis, and
SECTION two Darmawi Musni The Western and Central creates a ripe environment the same since last year, may signal the beginning of Pacific Ocean is the world’s of little oversight, where Greenpeace is tightening the a larger level of interest in largest tuna fishery, yielding unsavory businesses can burden of proof, particularly greater transparency with the Printed on 100% recycled paper over half of the world’s total exploit more than just since labor abuses and buying public.
2 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking November 2016 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 3 WHY THE
Transparency to Southeast Asian customers is poor compared to other regions. TUNA SUPPLY One of the findings in the report is the double standard that some companies exercise depending on the final consumer market. For example, a can of tuna with a final consumer CHAIN destination within Thailand will frequently have little if any information on what kind of tuna is in the can.
© Sanjit Das / Greenpeace Meanwhile, that same company will make sure that the very same can, under MATTERS a different label destined for the UK, will display all matter of information on the label, including the species Skipjack is Most Popular. fishing with the use of fish- of tuna, where it was caught, Almost every company aggregating devices (FADs). and the fishing method used. profiled sells skipjack tuna (See the “Fishing Methods” Consumers living here in from the Western and section of this report to learn Southeast Asia deserve to be Central Pacific Ocean. In more about this and other as informed as consumers in general, this is a good thing methods.) Briefly, purse seine other markets. as it is one of the most fishing with FADs is largely abundant tuna stocks. Of uncontrolled and is a wasteful Our oceans, sea life, and he canned tuna supply chain is highly opaque; whole, slaves could have been used to catch the the companies who source fishing method as it catches the people who catch and indeed, this is one of the key reasons for tuna in the can, and the tuna itself might even be skipjack, it makes up on a large number of juvenile process our tuna all deserve combining an assessment of both canned tuna illegally-sourced. The supermarket would then average 71% of their total yellowfin and bigeye tuna, the best treatment possible. Tbrands in the region (namely Thai brands) end up selling bad tuna even though it is paying a tuna sold. Unfortunately, as well as 2.8 to 6.7 times The tuna industry has an with some of the biggest canneries in the region higher premium for sustainable, quality product. most companies also source more to non-target species, opportunity to reverse course (namely from Indonesia and the Philippines). A Obviously this cannot stand. yellowfin tuna, which has like sharks and other sea life, and adopt more sustainable tuna brand cannot be 100% confident in its supply been identified as “Near than purse seining without and equitable business chain if it purchases tuna from a cannery that either Greenpeace has been actively working to shed light Threatened” on the IUCN FADs. A typical profiled practices that protect – purposely or carelessly commingles products from on the tuna supply chain, in an effort to highlight Red List. Those who do sell company sourced roughly instead of exploit – our various fishing vessels without regard to species, best practices in traceability and to ensure that this species are typically on 79% of its tuna from fishing marine environment and fishing ground, or catch method. The integrity of positive reforms further down the supply chain are average selling it as 28% of vessels using this method. workers. the supply chain is indeed the most important not compromised at an earlier part in the supply their total tuna. There are Worse, 15 companies source piece of the puzzle, because without it, well- chain. Several of our questions in the survey even some companies who almost 100% purse seine, Greenpeace will continue to meaning reforms could fail. submitted to tuna companies inquire about a are sourcing albacore (same FAD-caught tuna. If there shed light on unsavory and company’s standards for its suppliers, and whether IUCN listing as yellowfin) – is some good news, it is harmful business practices For example, suppose a supermarket wants to the company has hired third-party auditors to and worse – bigeye, which is that a handful of companies until all tuna companies sell its own brand of canned tuna to customers. double-check its processes and practices. We also categorized as “Vulnerable”. have been purchasing tuna are competing on a level Management at this supermarket feels a sense of request that companies (brands and canneries alike) Nonetheless, when viewed at that was caught using more playing field, and the market responsibility towards protecting the oceans, and show us their performance on traceability audits, a broader level, the profiled responsible methods, such no longer rewards illegal notices that customers are making more sustainable and to disclose their source fishing vessels for companies are generally on as FAD-free purse seine, and unethical practices food choices. Therefore, they decide to only source verification purposes. the right track, in that the handline, pole and line, or that incentivize certain from healthy stocks of skipjack tuna, and from majority of them rely on the troll. Tuna canneries from companies to race to the fishing vessels that fish legally and sustainably most abundant tuna species Indonesia were more likely to bottom. The good news? (e.g., pole and line gear). Cannery X offers to sell – skipjack – to fill their cans. source pole-and-line caught As evidenced in this report, this product to the supermarket, for a slight price tuna, which is one of the most several tuna companies are premium. But suppose Cannery X sources tuna Fishing methods remain sustainable and responsible on an upward trajectory, and from all over, and has poor segregation practices problematic. Things become ways to catch tuna. However, appear to be internalizing in place, this could every well mean that the murkier upon analyzing when the industry is viewed concepts of sustainability supermarket might end up buying cans of tuna the fishing method. as a whole, there is a long way in their policies. Read on that have other tuna species inside that were Unfortunately, nearly every to go towards sustainability in to learn more about their caught with destructive fishing gear. Worse, company relies on purse seine this regard. performance. © Paul Hilton / Greenpeace given the woeful oversight in the industry as a
4 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 5 The canned tuna chain of custody
Transshipper/reefer Much of the pirate fishing activity within the tuna sector is hidden by transshipping – vessels at sea transferring fish from one to another, often without any sort of observer coverage. This practice compounds the opacity of the seafood chain of custody and makes tracing a product to its source extremely difficult. Progressive companies are abandoning transshipping in favor of more defensible and transparent protocols that allow them to stand behind their product. Longliner Purse seiner Albacore, bigeye, and yellowfin Most skipjack tuna is caught by purse seine tuna are generally caught vessels, many of which employ fish aggregating on longlines: thick plastic devices, or FADs—floating objects that attract ropes attached to thousands far more than just skipjack. FAD-associated of individual hooks in series. purse seiners slaughter tens of thousands of Conventional longlines can sharks, rays, juvenile bigeye tuna, and other stretch for several kilometers, and threatened animals every year. Greenpeace is have bycatch rates of up to 30%. campaigning for companies like Thai Union and Greenpeace is calling on fishing others in this report to abandon FADs and to companies to shift away from this adopt more sustainable fishing methods. destructive fishing method.
cannery Traceability in the tuna chain of custody is often compromised at the cannery. Unless careful and transparent records are kept and rigorous protocols foreign country Import point are followed, canneries can combine various The first point of control for tuna from loads and species of tuna together, creating a Southeast Asia entering the importing highly opaque product and making it difficult for country. While most countries have consumers to make sustainable choices. laws prohibiting the importation of illegally-caught or mislabeled seafood, the effectiveness of enforcement is Retailer lacking. Even the U.S., often heralded The retailers include all grocery stores, as a model for its fisheries management, restaurants, and institutions that sell or only inspects less than 2% of seafood serve tuna to customers. Greenpeace entering the country. Greenpeace is is calling on retailers to implement calling on retailers, policy-makers, policies that will help customers make and consumers to support critical sustainable and responsible choices traceability legislation in the top when buying canned tuna, and some importing countries, which would help Thai-based retailers are featured in this close borders to illegal, unregulated, and report, including Tesco-Lotus and Big unreported (IUU) seafood and keep our C. Worldwide, Greenpeace has ranked oceans healthy and productive. retailers and foodservice companies in other major tuna-importing countries.
6 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 7 Top Exporters in 2015 Prepared or preserved tunas, skipjack and Atlantic bonito, whole or in pieces (excluding minced)
spain US$ 447,137,000
china US$ 339,920,000 vietnam US$ 193,004,000 philippines US$ 229,495,000 World Exports seychelles for prepared US$ 233,679,000 or preserved tunas in ecuador mauritius 2015 is US$ US$ 706,850,000 Ghana 6,042,673,000 US$ 239,543,000 US$ 189,355,000
thailand indonesia US$ 1,970,543,000 US$ 294,984,000
he top six largest import markets for canned tuna in 2015 were Tthe U.S., Italy, U.K., The top ten destinations for canned tuna for each of the three profiled countries: France, Spain, and Germany. Thailand is the world’s No.1 exporter of prepared or preserved tunas, comprising canned 32.8% of world exports for this product. Indonesia is No. 5, exporting some 4.9% while the Philippines is No. Thailand Philippines Indonesia 7 with exports reaching 3.8%. These Southeast Asian United States, Egypt, Australia, United States, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United States, countries were among Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Japan, Italy, Australia, United the leading suppliers of Libya, United Arab Emirates, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Peru, & Kingdom, Thailand, Libya, TUNA Trade canned / prepared tuna to United Kingdom, & Peru. Canada. Mexico, & Germany. the international market by volume4.
8 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 9 HUMAN RIGHTS
s fish stocks decline from overfishing, industry. For example, Thai officials were found industrial fleets expand, and demand to have sent a letter to Thai IUU fishing operators, increases for cheap seafood, companies are requesting that these vessels offload catches during increasingly motivated to employ cheap or a specific window to hide from monitors and A 5 6 13 forced labor and to fish illegally . Several fishing avoid penalties. Indonesian government officials ABUSES AND operators use human trafficking networks to crew have historically failed to address widespread and ships, and use “debt bondage, violence, intimidation severe abuse of workers, as well as colluded with and murder to keep crews in line and maintain Thai officials to allow human trafficking in the cheap seafood” on the market7. Sadly, most of this fishing industry.14 15 However, there are signs that takes place right here in Southeast Asia. the Indonesian government is starting to take things more seriously by establishing “Anti-IUUF In March 2015, the Associated Press reported on Task Force 115”16 and releasing specific ministerial slavery among Indonesian fleets,8 and two months regulations on human rights compliance for ILLEGAL FISHING 17 later, Thailand made headlines with mass graves of fisheries businesses. suspected human trafficking victims at trafficking camps,9 10 and trafficking victims abandoned at There have been reports of slavery on fishing sea.11 12 Labor abuses are often ignored by many vessels in more than 50 countries.18 Greenpeace government officials, who are sometimes complicit has documented deplorable working conditions on with the most egregious actors in the global fishing tuna purse seiners and longline vessels. Fishermen on a longline tuna vessel in the Western Pacific Ocean told Greenpeace they had not been to port in 18 months, were treated badly by crew, and were forced to live in terrible conditions.19
Companies that abuse their workers often engage in destructive or illegal fishing, and have little regard for fishery management regulations.20 21 As a direct result of overfishing, many coastal stocks are depleted and vessels must travel further out into the High Seas to fish. Rather than lose precious fishing time and incur increased costs of returning to port, the industry increasingly relies on transshipment at sea, where smaller boats refuel, restock, and transfer catch onto larger cargo vessels. This There have practice turns fishing boats into floating prisons, and enables vessels to hide illegally caught fish and/ been reports or mistreat crew members. Many trafficked and abused workers are forced to remain at sea with no means of escape, and men have reported being at of slavery on sea for years.22 23 This is a key reason that questions surrounding at-sea transshipment are featured on fishing vessels the Greenpeace survey sent to the tuna companies in more than in this report. If Thai Union – the world’s largest canned tuna processor and owner of Sealect/Ocean Wave in 50 countries. this report – relies on transshipment at sea to operate, then it is reasonable to be concerned about all supply chains. Tuna can be commingled from several different sources with relative ease, obfuscating the supply chain and erasing detection of tuna caught in an illegal or unethical manner.24 Well-documented tuna catch and poorly- documented tuna can also either be properly segregated or improperly commingled at the cannery, which is why canneries are also profiled in © Ardiles Rante / Greenpeace this report.25
10 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 11 FISHING
SUSTAINABLY FAD-free purse seine (a.k.a. “free school”): Pole-and-line: this is the “gold standard” this is preferable to the method to above, resulting for tuna fishing, and highly recommended by in a cleaner catch. Instead of setting a lure (a FAD) Greenpeace. Vessels usually deploy a group of men – NOT ALL FISHING METHODS ARE THE SAME and catching everything there, here the vessel who each fish with a fishing pole and line, catching pursues a free-swimming school of skipjack, tuna one by one. This method results in very little and sets the purse seine net on them. There is a to no bycatch, as it is highly selective. While some significantly lower bycatch rate with FAD-free pole-and-line fishing vessels also rely on inshore purse seine tuna fishing and fewer juvenile tunas anchored FADs, given the selective nature of the (up to 90% less),30 which is why Greenpeace fishing, this is not the same problem as FAD-caught t a basic level, sustainable tuna recommends this method as an alternative to purse seine. This method is often employed for fishing means targeting only conventional FAD-caught purse seine. both albacore and skipjack. well-managed tuna stocks that Aare in decent health, like skipjack, instead of targeting less stable tuna such as albacore, yellowfin, or worse – bigeye or bluefin. But how tuna vessels catch these fish – and whether this information is passed on to the cannery, Greenpeace urges tuna brands and processors to the retailer, and ultimately the consumer – matters significantly. favor and source tuna that has been caught using
Imagine you are eating at a buffet more responsible methods, such as pole and line, restaurant, but instead of picking out handline, or FAD-free purse seine. what you want to eat, you grab half of the dishes at the buffet and take them to your own table, so that no one else can eat them. Worse, you only eat a small amount but have already removed the food from the communal buffet table. Most people would consider you to be a rude and wasteful person. Some tuna Conventional, FAD-caught purse seine: most common for companies hope that consumers don’t skipjack, or “chunk light” tuna. This overused and under-regulated see that their practices are very similar method involves deploying a fish aggregating device (or FAD), which – that by using destructive fishing is a manmade floating raft, with various bits of old netting, ropes, or methods, they wastefully kill all kinds of streamers hanging beneath, to attract tuna. Unfortunately, as well as marine animals – known as “bycatch” – skipjack tuna, FADs also attract juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna, and a in their quest for tuna. range of other marine life including threatened sharks, and occasionally sea turtles. When a fishing vessel deploys a purse seine net around the Here are five of the most common FAD, which is like a large drawstring bag, it hauls the entire catch on to methods of tuna fishing: the vessel, and throws away (often dead) everything that is not tuna. The use of FADs results in 2.8 to 6.7 times more non-target species being caught and killed than fishing with purse seine without FADs (known as free-school fishing).26 Juveniles of bigeye and yellowfin tuna are usually just processed and included in the can, and are not given the chance to Conventional longline fishing: often used Handline: also a selective and generally mature. A study of the Western & Central Pacific region’s catch revealed for yellowfin, bigeye, and albacore, this method responsible fishing method in which a line with a true catch rates of around 30% by weight for bigeye and yellowfin tuna, of fishing involves setting a horizontal line in hook, usually baited, is lowered into the water from the majority of which were juveniles.27 Another recent study revealed that the water that stretches for up to 100 km long, a drifting, anchored or moving boat. Handlining in addition to what is caught in the nets, each year in the Indian Ocean, with thousands of smaller vertical lines that drop is holding a line in the hand while waiting either about 480,000 to 960,000 silky sharks are entangled in the netting and down, each with a baited hook. This method has actively or passively for a fish to take the bait. If ropes that hang underneath these FADs.28 Finally, lost or abandoned enormous bycatch rates of 30%, including seabirds, there is a bite and a fish takes the hook, it can then FADs join the vast array of other garbage in our oceans, finding their way sea turtles, sharks, and other marine life that can be hauled in by hand. onto beaches or getting entangled on coral reefs.29 become ensnared on the hooks.
12 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 13 1 2 3 4
© Oscar Siagian / Greenpeace
TRACEABILITY SUSTAINABILITY OF LEGALITY EQUITY/SOCIAL Is the tuna traceable from CURRENT SOURCING Are tuna fishing vessels RESPONSIBILITY sea to shelf? Do audits Did the tuna come from involved in illegal, Does the company ensure the verify that the information is stocks that are healthy, unreported, or unregulated protection of local workers accurate? and not overfished or (IUU) fishing? Does the tuna and communities while METHODOLOGY experiencing overfishing? brand/cannery take measures ensuring a fair return of Was the tuna caught using to proactively verify that it is profits? Are workers being fishing methods that avoid not sourcing from vessels or protected from labor abuse? While the categories and scoring catching other marine fishing companies that have methodology for assessing each life like sharks, turtles, been caught IUU fishing in company’s performance has remained or baby tuna (e.g., using the past? the same, Greenpeace tightened the pole and line)? Or was it burden of proof this year. Last year, caught using indiscriminate several companies were given the and irresponsible “benefit of the doubt” that they were fishing methods, such as being truthful on certain questions, conventional longline or when it was later discovered that some purse seine fishing that relies of the answers provided were actually upon fish aggregating devices false. To ensure better accuracy of (FADs)? responses, Greenpeace is requiring further supporting documentation for claims made by the companies.
Several companies provided feedback that they were confused and 5 6 7 overwhelmed by the survey process and the questionnaire last year. In response, this year Greenpeace held a series of workshops in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand to present the survey again, walk companies through the © Oscar Siagian / Greenpeace process in a step-by-step fashion, and answer any questions. Fortunately, these workshops were well-attended in both the Philippines and Thailand. SOURCING POLICY TRANSPARENCY AND DRIVING CHANGE Greenpeace has invited companies to Does the company show CUSTOMER INFORMATION Does the company support voluntarily participate in this survey. commitments and time Does the company or invest in the development While laws in Indonesia, the Philippines, bound implementation on demonstrate transparency of more sustainable and and Thailand do not oblige companies sustainability? and promote informed equitable fishing? to participate in this survey or disclose customer choices? corporate information to the public, ike last year, Greenpeace Southeast Greenpeace believes that greater Asia contacted the top 12 tuna company transparency is the first step brands from Thailand, the top 16 towards a traceable, sustainable, and Ltuna canneries from Indonesia, equitable tuna supply chain, and would and the top nine from the Philippines. allow the public to make more informed Greenpeace requested that the purchasing decisions. companies participate in this year’s survey process, and offered to help each Greenpeace assessed company company to accurately complete the performance on the following seven- questionnaires. point criteria:
14 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 15 Name of Cannery Rank Country by Driving Change 2016 Grade Traceability of Sustainability Current Sourcing Legality Equity Policy Sourcing and Transparency Information Customer
TUNA BRANDS AND Indonesia CANNERIES 1 PT. International Alliance Foods 68.88 2 PT. Deho Canning Company 62.15 2 PT. Citra Raja Ampat Canning 62.15 3 PT. Samudra Mandiri Sentosa 58.59 4 PT. Sinar Pure Foods International 51.64 5 PT. RD Pacific International 50.43 6 PT. Aneka Tuna Indonesia 41.58 7 PT. Balimaya Permai Food Canning Industry 33.06 SCORECARD 8 PT. Maya Muncar 30.47 N/A PT. Delta Pasific Indotuna – N/A PT. Avila Prima Intra Makmur – his year, not a single tuna brand N/A PT. Banyuwangi Cannery Indonesia – or cannery reached the “good” N/A PT. Carvinna Trijaya Makmur – category, which means a score N/A PT. Juifa International Foods – Tof 70/100 or higher. Nearly all The brands were ranked on a scale of1-100: N/A PT. Medan Tropical Canning – companies fell somewhere in the “fair” N/A CV. Pasific Harvest – category of 40-69, some barely passing, others in the mediocre middle, and 70-100 = good 40-69 = fair Philippines finally, a few falling just short of the 1 Ocean Canning Corporation 51.46 “good” category. 2 Celebes Canning Corporation 44.63 0-39 = failed did not participate 3 Century Pacific Food Corporation 44.09 The top performer this year was a 4 Philbest Canning Corporation 41.76 newcomer to the survey process, 5 Alliance Select Foods International 41.20 PT International Alliance Foods 6 Seatrade Canning Corporation 41.06 Indonesia, which boasted 100% N/A CDO Foodsphere – pole-and-line caught skipjack tuna N/A Permex Producers and Exporters Corp. – – clearly a model for others to follow N/A Bigfish Foods Corp. – in sustainability. When looking at with seven-point criteria: the seven category winners, this Thailand same company also won two of those 1 TOPS manufactured by Thai Union for 51.99 categories: sustainability of current 2 Central Food Retail, Co. 50.47 sourcing and sourcing policy. Alliance TCB manufactured by Tropical Canning Select Foods International had the 3 KING’S KITCHEN manufactured by 47.07 highest score for traceability, PT Premiere Marketing Samudra Mandiri Sentosa had the TRACEABILITY SUSTAINABILITY OF LEGALITY EQUITY/SOCIAL 4 SEALECT / OCEAN WAVE manufactured 43.09 highest for legality, Tops Supermarket CURRENT SOURCING RESPONSIBILITY by Thai Union, Distributed by T-Holding by the Central Food Retail (CFR) Co. & Loxley Trading Co., Ltd. had top marks on equity, and PT. 5 ROZA manufactured by Hi-Q Food 42.73 Deho Canning Co. & PT. Citra Raja Products Empat Canning Co. had the highest in 6 NAUTILUS / SEA CROWN produced and 41.06 Transparency and Customer Information. distributed by Pataya Foods Tesco-Lotus was the only company to 7 TESCO produced for Tesco Lotus by Pataya 40.89 pass (i.e., not fail) the driving change SOURCING POLICY TRANSPARENCY DRIVING CHANGE Food Industries, Ltd. category, which illustrates the sad state AND CUSTOMER 8 ARO / SAVEPAK by Siam Makro Public 40.00 of affairs on proactive activities of INFORMATION Company Limited regional tuna companies. 9 AYAM produced by Thai Union 34.88 N/A BIG C manufactured by Thai Union – HOME FRESH MART manufactured by N/A Thai Union for Home Fresh Mart, The Mall –
16 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 17 44.63
Celebes Canning has a clear policy on traceability INDIVIDUAL and it submitted documents that described its cannery coding system, complete with species and date of production. Unfortunately, it did not provide a list of fishing vessels which is an important element in the traceability system. celebes canning Its main source of tuna is in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, with primarily skipjack COMPANY and some yellowfin (as well as a trace of bigeye). Unfortunately, Celebes sources exclusively from fishing vessels that use indiscriminate FAD purse seine fishing. In addition to this lackluster sourcing, it needs to significantly strengthen its tuna procurement policy and release it to the public, as well as strongly consider how it can be a more active player in driving change in the PROFILES industry.
PHILIPPINES
51.46 44.09 OCEAN CANNING
CORPORATION Ocean Canning claims that it sources 100% FAD- Century Tuna, the most popular tuna brand in the free skipjack and yellowfin. To support its claim, country, only submitted supporting traceability Ocean Canning submitted a FAD-free contract documents well after a generous extension of the with one of its buyers based in Germany. It also deadline, so they could not be factored in its overall submitted a list of fishing vessels, but has not century pacific score. While their website has a respectable amount indicated the type of fishing gear used. Ocean of information, there is no indication of the status ocean canning Canning has no official website where one could get food inc. of the stocks where its supply is coming from. The more information about the company, and it needs company is proud of its handline-caught yellowfin to improve on equity, sourcing policy, transparency premium brand in cooperation with WWF, but and customer information, and driving change. only 1% of the yellowfin are caught using this Its internal policy should be made public, and it method. To the company’s credit, it is the only should be expanded to include stronger language brand in the Philippines which specifies the species on worker protections and sustainability standards and the fishing gear used on the label. However, pertaining to fishing method, a ban on shark with yellowfin and bigeye collectively making up finning, and clear ban on at-sea transshipment. We 20% of its overall catch, with a high likelihood strongly recommend that the company establishes of many juveniles, Century’s contribution to the its official website in the near future. sustainability of the resource is in question. In fact, 99% of all of its tuna is caught using destructive purse seines with FADs. Century needs to transition to more responsible ways of fishing and improve more in the aspects of social equity and driving change.
18 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 19 41.76 41.06
Philbest Canning is RD Corporation’s canned tuna Seatrade Canning almost failed this assessment. brand in the Philippines. While the company claims While it provided evidence of traceability and third that 52% of its tuna was caught using FAD-free party audits, it otherwise performed poorly in all fishing techniques and the remainder is caught other categories. It sources mostly skipjack and using regular purse seiners, it did not provide some yellowfin tuna from destructive FAD purse evidence of this or a list of source fishing vessels. seine fishing vessels. It claimed it had an internal Philbest canning Philbest should introduce a robust tuna sourcing seatrade canning policy but did not provide Greenpeace with a copy policy that centers on sustainability and worker so several claims could not be verified. Essentially, protection standards. The good news is that the the company must improve in every way possible. company expressed an interest in increasing the There is a sliver of hope: it expressed a desire to amount of its product that is sustainably caught; source 30% of its product from pole and line tuna now, it is a matter of implementation and proper fisheries within two years. We – and the oceans – documentation. hope that the company follows through!
COMPANIES THAT DID NOT PARTICIPATE - FAILED The following companies did not participate in the survey process and have insufficient publicly-available information online, which leads to no confidence in the traceability, sustainability, and social equity of their tuna sourcing. These companies did not participate two years in a row. 41.20
Alliance Select Foods International. While Alliance Select Foods International (ASFII) is related to PT International Alliance Food Indonesia (PTIAFI), they have significant differences insofar as the sources of tuna and fishing gear are concerned. Alliance Select Foods This is why ASFII’s score is significantly lower than PTIAFI’s (68.88). ASFII’s policy states that International the company sources species such as fresh and frozen skipjack, yellowfin and bonito, but there is no mention of sourcing from vessels that use responsible fishing methods. Its internal policy needs to be significantly strengthened, and the company had contradictory answers on whether it allows at-sea transshipment. Alliance has a lot of work to do before it can be considered on par with its Indonesian counterpart. Bigfish Cdo Permex Foods Corp. foodsphere Producers and Exporters Corp.
20 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 21 INDONESIA
68.88 58.59
PT International Alliance Food Indonesia was the top Samudra Mandiri Sentosa is a consistent performer out of all the companies profiled, and deserves participant in the 2-year cannery ranking process. credit for nearly achieving a “good” ranking. It is the The company’s submission of documents includes subsidiary of the Indonesian company Alliance Select almost the entire supply chain such that the fishing International, with its main office based in the Philippines. pt Samudra Mandiri vessels are listed (along with their fishing methods), In its internal tuna procurement policy issued July 2016, it and their buyers abroad are known. Around 40% stated that the company will “work towards sourcing from Sentosa of the tuna supply comes from more responsible fishing vessels that target free-swimming tuna schools or fishing methods like pole and line and handline. use non-entangling FADs” and that the company “will not While SMS is becoming a key player in promoting source from purse seines that conduct transshipment at sea.” the shift towards sustainability and traceability, it PT International The policy also indicated support for pole-and-line fisheries still needs to address the rest of its supply coming when possible as a more responsible option for tuna fisheries. from destructively-caught FAD purse seine fishing. Alliance Food Interestingly, they actually exceed their own policy by having It should also move forward with a public-facing the most responsible sourcing out of all companies profiled tuna policy that has strong worker protection Indonesia in the report: 100% pole and line caught skipjack tuna from standards. the Western and Central Pacific Ocean. The company is also exploring the use of sustainable baitfish, given that target baitfish species can often be overexploited globally. Next steps should include making its policy public and even stronger by explicitly forbidding shark finning and at-sea transshipment, explicitly protecting workers, and calling for the protection and promotion of marine reserves. For now however, its current sustainability practices set the standard for other canneries in the region to follow.
51.64
PT Sinar Pure Foods International sources about 62.51 30% of its skipjack and yellowfin tuna from pole and line. To support this claim, it submitted a list of fishing vessels with documented catch method. Citra Raja Ampat Canning and Deho Canning PT Sinar Pure Foods However, it should seek third party audits that Company, two companies under the same encompass full traceability and worker treatment, PT Citra raja Ampat Canning management, performed well this year. Its current International and not just food safety. The company has a public- tuna sourcing practices are highly responsible, as facing procurement policy, and while it encourages & Deho Canning Company it sources 100% pole and line caught tuna from fishing vessels to either register their FADs or go the Western & Central Pacific Ocean (almost all FAD-free, Greenpeace encourages PT Sinar to only skipjack). However, the company struggles in areas source from pole and line or FAD-free purse seine like transparency and sharing its tuna sourcing vessels. policy with the public. It needs to codify its current sourcing practices into a policy, be far more open, and communicate more clearly to customers through its packaging and via a website which the company has yet to create.
22 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 23 50.43 33.06
Balimaya Permai Food Canning Industry failed RD Pacific International is the Indonesian in this year’s assessment, primarily for its poor subsidiary of RD Corporation with corporate sustainability in its current tuna sourcing. It headquarters in Manila. While It claims that 52% sources exclusively from the Indian Ocean – of its procured tuna comes from free school purse PT balimaya permai food primarily albacore and yellowfin stocks, which are seine, it has provided insufficient information to not doing well. While it does source some tuna that PT RD Pacific International support such claims. Some documents indicate canning industry was caught responsibly, it does not make up for the that pole and line caught tuna gets into the supply even higher reliance on devastating fishing methods chain, but the volume is unknown. It should such as longline-caught albacore. Balimaya needs phase out its small volume of bigeye, and seek to also strengthen its tuna sourcing policy and to transition its modest amount of yellowfin to release it to the public, as well as provide far more skipjack. The company indicated that it would information to customers on where the tuna is release a tuna procurement policy within the year, coming from. and Greenpeace hopes that the company produces a strong policy, complete with a clear ban on at-sea transshipment and shark finning, clear language supporting marine reserves, and a promise to shift to more sustainable fishing practices.
41.58 30.47
Aneka Tuna Indonesia barely made a passing score, Maya Muncar failed in this year’s assessment. The and has a lot of work to do. Its stronger points are company is sourcing 85% of its supply mostly from its publicly posted tuna policy and its efforts to the less plentiful Indian Ocean, with the rest of its provide information to customers. Beyond that, tuna some tunas coming from the Western Central PT aneka tuna it struggles with every other category, namely, Pacific Ocean. It procures skipjack, yellowfin, that it does not have high sustainability or worker albacore, and longtail tuna, and claimed that it indonesia protection standards. It should be more transparent PT maya muncar catches yellowfin and longtail using pole and in its traceability and performance in related line (which is a responsible method of fishing). audits. Finally, it sources tuna from all over the However, there was scant documentation to place, with skipjack, bigeye, yellowfin, and albacore verify this latter claim. The company also claimed caught in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. catching albacore using handline, but was unable While Aneka must swiftly switch to healthier tuna to submit supporting documents. On the other stocks, it does deserve credit for its partial reliance hand, Greenpeace sees that this company is on its on pole and line, trolling, and handline fishing way to improving its traceability and sustainability methods, which are far more responsible than the criteria very soon. As far as the other criteria are remainder of its purse seine FAD-caught tuna. concerned, Maya Muncar needs to work much Greenpeace urges Aneka to more fully commit to harder in all areas to improve it current standing. these responsible fishing methods and to cease the capture of bigeye immediately.
24 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 25 COMPANIES THAT DID NOT PARTICIPATE - FAILED thailand The following companies did not participate in the survey process and have insufficient publicly-available information online, which leads to no confidence in the traceability, sustainability, and social equity of their tuna sourcing.
51.99
Tops Supermarket, manufactured by Thai Union (T-Holding Co.), ranked the highest among Thai companies profiled in the report, despite its modest overall score. It rapidly improved since last year, and overtook competitor TCB in the process. Tops sources its tuna from Thai Union Foods (TUF), but scored higher than TUF due to its higher standards. Last year, it relied on destructively caught tuna, but this year Tops heeded our advice in our previous report and now only purchases FAD-free caught tuna (tonggol from Vietnamese fishing vessels), and the supermarket submitted documents to PT. back up this claim of a far more responsible fishing method. However, this is merely their current practice, and is not PT. Delta PT. Avila Banyuwangi PT. Carvinna tops supermarket ingrained in company policy. Given that the company even submitted a recent SEAFDEC report that indicates how Pasific Prima Intra Cannery Trijaya tonggol tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean are being overfished while the stocks in the Pacific Ocean are not, we urge the Indotuna Makmur Indonesia Makmur company to develop policy which explicitly allows sourcing of tonggol tuna only from Pacific stocks – or better yet, it could PT. Delta Pasific Indotuna PT. Avila Prima Intra PT. Banyuwangi Cannery PT. Carvinna Trijaya even consider skipjack. Tops also has some ambitious plans participated last year but did Makmur has failed to Indonesia has failed to Makmur has failed to to implement by year end regarding customer information, not do so this year, and failed participate two years in a participate two years in a participate two years in a labeling, and transparency, and plans to use its supermarkets this year’s ranking. row, and failed this year’s row, and failed this year’s row, and failed this year’s to communicate with customers more directly on its tuna. ranking. ranking. ranking. The company should be very cautious with its supplier, and ensure that the problems that have recently plagued TUF are not affecting the product sourced by Tops. Tops must adopt stronger worker protection standards and be highly vigilant in auditing worker treatment down the supply chain.
50.47
TCB, manufactured by Tropical Canning, has tight PT. Juifa PT. Medan traceability in place, forbids at-sea transshipment, and has a strong worker-protection policy. International Tropical CV. Pasific These are the foundations upon which positive TCB reforms can develop in (we hope) the near future. Foods Canning Harvest Unfortunately, the company failed on sustainability, as it does not catch skipjack (sourcing instead only PT. Juifa International This year’s ranking is first PT. Banyuwangi Cannery yellowfin and tonggol), and it sources exclusively Foods is Indonesia-based invitation and opportunity Indonesia has failed to from a destructive fishing method that relies on supplier for Thai Union’s for PT. Medan Tropical participate two years in a purse seine nets and FADs. If it can directly address Chicken of Sea Brand in US Canning to participate to the row, and failed this year’s this issue and be a driver of reform in the industry, that obviously has failed to survey but unfortunately the ranking. it has the potential to jump up the charts given that participate two years in a company neglected it and it has such solid documentation of its policies and row, and failed this year’s failed. practices. ranking.
26 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 27 47.07 42.73
King’s Kitchen, manufactured by Premier Canning Roza of Hi-Q Food Products Co. claimed that it is Industry Co., deserves credit for 100% pole and sourcing FAD-free tonggol tuna in its products but line caught yellowfin tuna, the best fishing method. no supporting documents have been submitted to While yellowfin is far less abundant than skipjack, support this claim. The company deserves credit for if it intends to source only yellowfin tuna for its reforming its sourcing policy, and for its strict ban canned/pouched selection, it should at minimum on at-sea transshipment. Apart from high marks phase out its Indian Ocean stock, which is in in the legality category, Roza has a lot of work to dire shape, and switch to Western Pacific only. do in all other areas, and should provide proof of king’s kitchen Despite a strong showing on fishing method, it Roza FAD-free fishing to receive full credit on its current did not perform well overall, namely for a lack sustainability. of a tuna sourcing policy, no evidence of a non- governmental, independent audit of its operations, and very little in the way of transparency to customers.
43.09 41.06
Ocean Wave and Sealect, brands of Thai Union Foods Nautilus and Sea Crown, brands of Pataya Food (T-Holding Co.), did not perform well overall but did manage Industries, barely made a passing grade. Its biggest to avoid failing. The company has invested in a splashy new problem is that the skipjack and yellowfin tuna website detailing their plans moving forward with traceability, are exclusively caught with destructive purse sustainability, and worker protections. However, for the most seines and FADs. Pataya Food also struggled to part, they are just that – plans – and it remains to be seen provide proof of social equity, provided scant whether they will reach their goals in these areas. For now customer information, and does not drive change however, TUF is reeling from scandals related to sustainability in the industry. Pataya Food does receive credit and the treatment of crew on TUF-sourced fishing vessels, and for posting its tuna policy online, which clearly ocean wave & sealect it is our hope that the company can make a swift turnaround. Nautilus & Sea Crown applies to the two brands. However, its policy did As the largest tuna company in the world, it is even more not contain as much robust language as claimed, troubling that it sources 100% FAD and purse seine caught and the company could improve by revisiting the skipjack tuna for its Thai brands, given the destructive language and tightening its standards. nature of that fishing method. TUF has been shady in the past regarding its transshipment practices, as it previously claimed 100% ban on at-sea transshipments (only for it to later be discovered that this purported ban covered only a tiny percentage of its overall fleet). This year, it could not provide evidence to prove that it has 100% observer coverage to supervise at-sea transshipments, as claimed. This company must improve its practices across the board, if it seeks to truly one day be considered a leader in the industry.
28 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 29 40.89 34.88
Tesco-Lotus or Ek-Chai Distribution System Co. would have Ayam, manufactured for Thai market by Thai scored higher had its parent company, Tesco, applied the Union, did not fully participate in the survey exciting initiatives for its UK-based supermarkets’ canned tuna process and failed in the ranking, but Greenpeace to Tesco-Lotus as well. Unfortunately, its sourcing of tuna was able to gather meaningful information about in the Southeast Asian region leaves much to be desired for the company between the decent amount of tuna customers living outside of the UK, and there is a disconnect sourcing information on their website and via some Tesco-Lotus between the UK Tesco policy and what is actually offered ayam direct communication with Ayam staff. While the under Tesco-Lotus. Tesco-Lotus has two key suppliers for company has a lot of work to do, particularly in its supermarket brand – Pataya Food Industries and Unicord traceability, there is every indication that Ayam is PLC. The difference in their overall score between the two was set to improve soon, as it will be releasing its tuna minor, though Pataya Food sources a cleaner catch of 100% policy in 2017. skipjack whereas Unicord procures primarily skipjack but also a small percentage of less healthy species. Unfortunately, both suppliers to Tesco-Lotus provide tuna caught using destructive FADs and purse seine nets. If there is a strong point for the company, it is this: through primarily the global efforts of its parent company, Tesco, this was the only company profiled to not fail the “driving change” category.
COMPANIES THAT DID NOT PARTICIPATE - FAILED The following companies did not participate in the survey process and have insufficient publicly-available information online, which leads to no confidence in the traceability, sustainability, and social equity of their tuna sourcing. 40.00
Aro and Savepak, store brands of Siam Makro (acquired by CP ALL), nearly failed this year’s ranking. The supermarket sources 100% FAD purse seine caught skipjack and yellowfin, which is a destructive fishing method. The company relies on Pataya Food Industries for its tuna (and Pataya Aro & Savepak Food’s policy), but does not have a policy of its own. The company had poor marks for equity/labor, its sourcing policy, transparency to customers, and driving change. big c home fresh mart
Big C, manufactured by Thai Union, Home Fresh Mart, manufactured by did not participate either last year or Thai Union for Home Fresh Mart, The this year, and has failed both years. Its Mall did not participate either last year reliance on Thai Union is worrying. or this year, and has failed both years. Like Big C, its reliance on Thai Union is worrying.
30 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 31 1 2 3 4
Sustainability Traceability Support for marine Equity and social • Source from only • Ensure all tuna can be protection accountability nsuring sustainable healthy (not overfished, tracked from ship to can • Publicly support the • Source from coastal and equitable tuna for experiencing overfishing, to shelf creation of marine state-owned fisheries and customers can only or declining) well- • Conduct internal and reserves processing operations Ebe achieved by setting managed tuna stocks third party annual audits • Do not source tuna where possible clear goals and timelines to • Source from only best- at key points in your from proposed marine • If not, source from guide the implementation of practice, more selective supply chain that include reserves such as the companies that ensure a company’s sustainability fishing methods with a random spot checks for Pacific Commons of the coastal states are paid fair commitments. Successful minimal impact on other both the sustainability Western and Central access returns for their crafting and implementation marine life (eg. pole and and social accountability Pacific Ocean, established resource of a seafood procurement line, troll, handline) requirements of your marine reserves or marine • Do not source from any policy will be more easily company’s policy protected areas, or fishery company associated with achieved if the following exclusion zones abuses against labour laws steps are considered: • To avoid companies that fail to prohibit forced, • Consult relevant experts child, discriminatory or and NGO allies before otherwise unfair working creating and approving a conditions, at a minimum, policy only source from vessels, • Include clear and detailed companies, canneries and sourcing requirements processors that operate using prescriptive in full compliance with language, not passive international labour language standards, as reflected • Engage suppliers early in, among others, the and oblige all new and International Labour existing contracts to only Organisation (ILO) deliver tuna according to Core Conventions, the the policy ILO Work in Fishing • Make the key elements Convention 2007 (No. © Paul Hilton / Greenpeace of the policy publicly 188), and ILO Work in available online Fishing Convention) • Train staff on content and • Set standards that implementation of the suppliers must meet to © Paul Hilton / Greenpeace policy ensure human rights are • Promote only products being upheld for workers that meet the policy involved in the supply • Regularly work with chain, with attention RECOMMENDATIONS suppliers to find better given to migrant workers alternatives 5 6 7 • Conduct regular reviews KEY ELEMENTS OF A SUSTAINABLE AND of the policy and monitor progress Legality Driving change Customer information • Have your products • Do not source tuna that • Support research and and education SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE CANNED TUNA audited against your was transshipped at sea development programmes • Label all products with policy regularly • Do not source tuna on sustainable fisheries key information including SOURCING POLICY originating from vessels • Continuously work with where and how the tuna and/or operators stakeholders (suppliers, was caught, the species Transitioning to truly blacklisted on http:// fishing industry, common name, and the responsible procurement blacklist.greenpeace.org government, NGOs, country of processing policies and practices that • Source tuna from vessels scientists) to improve • Provide supplemental will lead to meaningful with 100% independent the management and species, product and and positive change in our observer coverage. sustainability of the sustainability information oceans requires attention fisheries that are sourced online and in stores to the following key areas. from through flyers and POS This list includes key issues • Advocate for change in information to consider and is not fisheries management a comprehensive list of bodies sourcing requirements.
32 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 33 1. Pew Charitable Trusts, Netting Billions: A Global Valuation of Tuna (May 2, 2016). endnotes 2. The Pew Charitable Trusts. Netting Billions: A Global Valuation of Tuna in the Western And Central Pacific Ocean. Fact Sheet. (September 23, 2016.) http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/fact-sheets/2016/09/netting- billions-a-valuation-of-tuna-in-the-western-and-central-pacific-ocean 3. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2016-2.
34 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking 35 Greenpeace Southeast Asia
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G 36 From sea to can: 2016 Southeast Asia Canned Tuna Ranking