By: Usmawati Anggita Sakti (Seafood Savers Communication Assistant)

As one of the important commodities in fisheries in Indonesia, tuna products have the second largest export value and volume after shrimp. Data from the Directorate General of Strengthening the Competitiveness of Marine and Fishery Products of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries shows that the total export volume of Indonesian TCT (Tuna Skipjack Tuna) in 2017 was 106,850 tons for non-processed and processed products of 96,594 tons.¹

The sustainability of tuna stocks is an important aspect for the availability of marine resources in the future. Therefore, various tuna fishing and handling practices must be carried out with due regard to environmental aspects by all relevant stakeholders, including the government, tuna processing businesses, environmental NGOs and research institutions.

Seafood Savers WWF-Indonesia is a collaborative platform to support seafood businesses to realize and develop sustainable fisheries. Seafood Savers assists its members (producers and exporters) in achieving Marine Stewardship Council ecolabel certification - an independent and globally recognized sustainable fisheries standard.

In July 2018 a tuna exporter company - PT Pahala Bahari Nusantara (PT PBN) - joined the Seafood Savers membership to undergo a Fisheries Improvement Program (FIP) for purse seine tuna. The cooperation began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a letter of Cooperation Agreement.

Established in 2009, PT PBN is currently engaged in the business of processing skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) from several types of fishing gear, including purse seine into loin. Headquartered in West Jakarta, the company markets its products to Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. PBN partners with a global tuna company, Tri Marine, which is pro-actively involved in the development of PT PBN's FIP.

"PT Pahala Bahari Nusantara is pleased to join Seafood Savers. We are fully committed to developing tuna FIPs starting with pre-assessment and action plans. We hope that all purse seine fisheries stakeholders, together with PBN, are highly committed and proactively participate to make this project successful to ensure the sustainability of our tuna resources," said Herry Yanto, Managing Director of PT Pahala Bahari Nusantara.

The signing lays the foundation for PT PBN to carry out the pre-assessment and action plan, and then become a full member of Seafood Savers. The MSC Pre-Assessment is conducted to identify locations that require improvement according to the principles of sustainability of stocks, ecosystems and fisheries management. The Action Plan developed will include various activities that need to be carried out by all parties in the purse seine gear fishery.

As a member of Seafood Savers, PT PBN in collaboration with Tri Marine Internationa and WWF-Indonesia will undergo a purse seine FIP in the waters of Southeast Sulawesi, Fisheries Management Areas (WPP) 714 and 715. All parties involved in this scheme believe that synergy will accelerate efforts to realize sustainable fisheries in Indonesia.

References:
¹ http://kkp.go.id. March 13, 2018. Indonesia's Skipjack Tuna Exports in the Last 6 Years (2012-2017), Conditions and Expectations. Downloaded on July 25, 2018. (exports-tuna-cakalang-tongkol)