Japan Looks to Improve Key Tuna Fisheries as Part of Blossoming Sustainable Seafood Movement Fishery, industry, and NGO stakeholders come together to increase the sustainability of key albacore tuna fisheries in Japan 10/25/2017 Tokyo, Japan – Already on the map as the largest port for fresh long-line and pole-and-line tuna landings in Japan, Nachi Katsuura port in Wakayama prefecture is now home to Japan’s first tuna Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP), the “Nachi Katsuura Longline Albacore Tuna FIP”. The FIP, launched today, comprises 10,000 metric tons of Albacore tuna caught in Japanese waters by fishing company No. 78 Kaiou Maru—tuna which will soon be more sustainably managed due to the efforts of the fishery and project collaborators Yamasa Wakiguchi Co. Ltd., Seiyu GK (a Japanese subsidiary of Walmart), Ocean Outcomes, and Seafood Legacy. “I’ve been fishing Albacore for over 40 years,” said Mr. Nishida, a fishing captain at No.78 Kaiou Maru, “and there’s undoubtedly been a decline in catch volumes over those years. This has led to fewer jobs in the industry, so we absolutely need to invest in sustainable tuna management so that the resource recovers and the fishery can continue to provide us benefits.” Due to a variety of factors including overfishing, ineffective management by Regional Fishery Management OrganiZations (RFMOs), and opaque regulation, many tuna species have populations which are at fractions of historical levels. Albacore stocks, however, largely remain stable and projects such as this will help ensure the numbers of fish and the jobs they provide flourish without adverse effects on the marine environment, so that Albacore tuna can continue to be a pillar of Japanese economy and cuisine. “Working proactively to develop systems and fisheries which are both earth-friendly and human-friendly is part of who we are,” said Kumie, Wama, VP of Corporate Affairs at Seiyu, “so we’re excited to be involved in this FIP and to continue leading fisheries and aquaculture improvement efforts in Japan through project funding and product sales.” Seiyu will be selling FIP product caught and processed by project participants in their Tokyo area stores starting in November this year. “Support from an industry leading retailer like Seiyu is vital to ensuring the Japanese sustainable seafood movement grows,” says Wakao Hanaoka, the CEO of Seafood Legacy whose group helped broker the deal the get FIP product into 20 Seiyu stores in Tokyo metropolitan area. “Seiyu not only provides an important relationship for the fishery, but they also have the ability to raise awareness amongst consumers.” And scalable and replicable improvement models such as the Nachi Katsuura Longline Albacore Tuna FIP will play an important role helping to ensure adequate sustainable seafood supply is available for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. “There’s a lot of attention being given right now to tuna fisheries, Japanese seafood, and the Olympic Games, so it’s the perfect time for industry, fisheries, government and NGOs to come together and make meaningful changes to Japanese seafood, as it truly is in everyone’s interest to do as much,” said Shunji Murakami, Ocean Outcomes’ Japan Program Director. “We’re thrilled to work with this group to ensure sound fishery science and traceable fishing practices are the baseline for this change.” Working with Yamasa Wakiguchi Co. Ltd, a leading tuna processor in the region, Ocean Outcomes completed an updated pre-assessment of the fishery which laid out opportunities for more sustainable practices including documenting retained species, developing a precautionary harvest approach, and monitoring fishery interactions with seabirds and sea turtles (i.e. independent observers). Documented through the FIP workplan, progress towards these actions will be implemented over the next five years with project participants meeting biannually for review. “This region, the resource, the fishery, and the relationships they foster are truly a thing of beauty,” said Koutarou Wakiguchi, the CEO of Yamasa Wakiguchi, “but there was anxiety surrounding the potential decline of the fishery. We’re thrilled to be part of this project and part of the larger Japanese sustainable seafood movement, ensuring sustainable fishing practices are financially viable so that local fisheries and seafood can continue to be a foundational part of Japan.” ### About the participants: No. 78 Kaiou Maru Kaiou Maru is a 19ft long-line vessel and a member of “Hodo Island Branch of Ooita Fishery Coop”. The captain, Mr. Nishida, became a fisherman when he was 17 years old and has now fished tuna for over 40 years. As a fisherman who relies on abundant tuna resources, he decided to commit to working towards more sustainable practices to ensure the longevity of his fishery and tuna resources. Kaiou Maru Contact Info: email: [email protected] Yamasa Wakiguchi Co., Ltd - www.maguro-yamasa.com Yamasa Wakiguchi Co., Ltd. has founded in 1897 “Meiji era” in Nachi Katsuura town, Wakayama where is known as the largest port for fresh tuna in Japan. We have been challenging to solve the issues of food loss and improve the efficient use of seafood resource in the supply chain to pursue the fresh and delicacy of fresh tuna, through developing the high quality freeZing technology. Furthermore, as the work of “Kaisen Donya”, the the port’s shipping agency, we communicate and share info frequently with vessels playing a role of connecting consumers and the supply chain. In 2012, MSC pre assessment for tuna landed at Nachi Katsuura has been conducted. In 2013, we made a public procurement policy not to source illegally caught tuna and also from fisheries fishing unsustainably. We are pleased to be part of this Albacore Long-line FIP in collaboration with No. 78 Kaiou Maru and Ocean Outcomes to work against MSC standards to the unconditional pass level. Yamasa Wakiguchi Contact Info: email: [email protected] phone: 0735-52-2991 Ocean Outcomes - www.oceanoutcomes.org Ocean Outcomes works with commercial fisheries, seafood industry, local communities, and NGOs, to develop and implement creative solutions towards more sustainable fisheries and fish farming practices. Ocean Outcomes’ science-based improvement initiatives include assessments, supply chain analysis, buyer engagement, traceability programs, fishery improvement projects, and stakeholder convening. Demand for sustainable seafood is at an all-time high, but many of the world’s commercial fisheries remain at risk of overfishing, poaching, and other problems. By restoring and protecting wild fisheries, Ocean Outcomes supports the long-term health of local communities, seafood supply chains, and the ocean resources on which we all depend. Ocean Outcomes Contact Info: ShunJi Murakami, Japan Program Director email: [email protected] Seafood Legacy Co., Ltd - www.seafoodlegacy.com/ja/ With the aspiration to preserve an abundance of seafood, a symbol of connections between society and the sea, as legacy for the next generations to come, Seafood Legacy designs sustainable marine ecosystems, society, and businesses while supporting and networking fishery-related companies and NGOs strategically in order to achieve this goal. Learning from many successful cases and best practices overseas, the firm provides consulting services to shape sustainability solutions that match Japanese business practices as well as its indigenous cultures and traditions. Seafood Legacy Contact Info: Wakao Hanaoka, CEO email: [email protected] phone: 080-5384-2920 Seiyu GK - www.seiyu.co.jp Under the “Global Responsibility” initiatives led by its parent company, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Seiyu GK has three priority areas of “Opportunity,” “Sustainability,” and Community.” With a view to addressing social and environmental issues, the company has been leading a broad range of sustainability and social contribution activities through collaboration with its customers, business partners, NGOs, and local municipalities. As for “Sustainability,” for example, one of its ultimate goals is to “sell products that can sustain peoples’ lives and the environment.” Therefore, aside from support to FIPs/AIPs, Seiyu is also engaged in various sustainability activities such as joining the “Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).” Under this initiative, the company has switched to only using sustainable palm oil for its private brand products such as “Minasama-no-osumitsuki (Chosen by you).” Seiyu Contact Info: Megumi Hayakawa, Corporate Affairs email: [email protected] phone: 03-3598-7760 .