18 October 2010

Jakarta, 18/10/10 – On this Monday (18/10), WWF Indonesia welcomes “Seafood Savers” new members, Sea Delight, LLC and UD.Pulau Mas. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing formally marked their commitment toward sustainable fisheries.
In his welcoming speech, CEO of WWF-Indonesia Efransjah said, through Seafood Savers, WWF-Indonesia encourages all fisheries industry actors to integrate sustainable principles to their business practices. It covers major players in fishery industry, for instance producers, suppliers, buyers, retailers, and financial institutions.
“We engage in cooperation with companies who share the same vision to implement eco-friendly business practices particularly in the marine and fisheries sector. Sea Delight and Pulau Mas important steps joining Seafood Savers will contribute to the long term sustainable fisheries,” he continues.
""Seafood Savers"" is a dialogue and cooperation between corporations, initiated by WWF-Indonesia a year ago to gain support from all fisheries industry players towards sustainable fisheries practice in Indonesia. It encourages behavioural change of all fishery business players including producers, retailers, consumers, and financial institutions that give loan to fishery business players, so that they will ultimately share the same understanding of sustainable fisheries.
“Both Sea Delight and Pulau Mas have passed some of the initial steps required for SEAFOOD SAVERS membership. WWF have conducted Due Diligence toward both companies and present recommendations for each company in order for them to fulfill the minimum requirements of sustainable fisheries as stated in the MoU, said WWF-Indonesia Corporate Campaigner for Marine Program, Margareth Meutia.
The MoU outlines four main recommendations to be complied by Sea Delight, LLC, a tuna and frozen reef fish importing company based in United States which sources its fish from the southern waters of Indonesia and Central Sulawesi. First, a compliance to government regulations and international conventions on trade of protected and endangered species. Secondly, the establishment of a company policy on destructive fishing and transhipment. Thirdly, to map company’s chain of custody as the basis for developing a traceability system. And lastly, eliminating bycatch of protected and endangered species.
Meanwhile two recommendations have been proposed for UD.Pulau Mas, a live reef fish exporting company which operates in eight provinces in Indonesia. The company is suggested to develop communication strategy by including several communication tools to socialize the company’s efforts in creating sustainable fisheries. It also asked to provide support for the local fisheries agency where the company operates in conducting identifications of fish spawning sites and season.

All those recommendations are the results of series of field evaluations conducted by WWF-Indonesia staff. Some parts that became the evaluation objects include the company’s fishing activities, compatibility of the company’s fishing activities with the IUU Fishing regulations and the company’s compliance toward other environmentally-safe practices, such as management of hazardous toxic, energy efficiency, and ownership environmental acknowledgement or eco label. The evaluation also highlights other aspects such as the chain of custody and profit shares made along that chain.
Imam Musthofa Zainuddin, WWF-Indonesia National Fisheries Program Coordinator emphasized , the Seafood Savers’ evaluation criterias which eventually generate the recommendations are developed based on the internationally acknowledged minimum requirements of sustainable fisheries which comply to the IUU Fishing regulations, and implementation of the traceability system from when the fish is caught until it arrives in the hands of the final consumers.
Cesar Bencosme, Vice President of Sea Delight, LLC attending The MoU signing stated that himself and the Sea Delight team were really looking forward to working with WWF as well as other relevant stakeholders in fulfilling the recommendations mentioned in the agreement.
“By signing this MoU we strengthen our commitment to thrive and make efforts in achievingsustainable fisheries. We strongly believe that our involvement in Seafood Savers is a long term investment that could potentially ensure the sustainability of this business, consumers’ satisfaction in consuming seafood and the wellbeing of fishermen who depends on those marine resources”, he added.
UD.Pulau Mas owner, Heru Purnomo pointed out that the process to get to this phase has not been easy for him and the company. However, he expressed his optimism that WWF-Indonesia’s support and assistance would give an extra energy for all fisheries industry players in implementing sustainable business practices. Furthermore he expects that the Seafood Savers will be acknowledged by the government and or other relevant stakeholders as a joint initiative from the corporations and social organizations to create sustainable fisheries.
For further information, please contact:

• Margareth Meutia, Corporate Campaigner for Marine Program WWF-Indonesia, +628158812844, MMeutia@wwf.or.id
• Imam Musthofa Zainuddin, National Fisheries Program Coordinator WWF-Indonesia, +628123853921, IMusthofa@wwf.or.id

Note to Editors:

• About SEAFOOD SAVERS

Seafood Savers is a WWF-Indonesia initiative to establish a corporate group consists of producers, exporters, importers and retailers involved in marine resources trade and exploitations and financial institutions which are placing investments in the marine resources business. Currently there are seven companies involved in the marine fisheries products business that have shown their interests to join in SEAFOOD SAVERS. With supports from WWF in Indonesia, in the regional and the international network, This group will conduct an overall campaign on marine and fisheries issues. It is expected that the group will inspire more business practitioners to join the initiative to encourage sustainable fisheries practices for the sake of keeping the marine ecosystem and resources sustainability. Companies willing to join in SEAFOOD SAVERS will be required to go through eight steps of membership process before becoming an official member of SEAFOOD SAVERS. Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding id the fourth step in which a company agreed to recommendations proposed by WWF in order for the company to fulfill the minimum requirements of sustainable fisheries.

• About WWF-Indonesia

WWF-Indonesia is an independent member of WWF, the global conservation organization, a network of WWF organizations and affiliates operating in close to 100 countries worldwide. It is an independent foundation registered under Indonesian law. In carrying out its conservation work, WWF-Indonesia has 25 project offices in 17 provinces. This organization works with local governments through practical field projects, scientific research, advising local governments on environmental policy, promoting environmental education, empowering communities, and raising awareness on environmental issues. More info about WWF-Indonesia, visit www.panda.org; or our local sites www.wwf.or.id and WWF-Indonesia supporter website in www.supporterwwf.org


• About Sea Delight, LLC

Stationed in Miami, Florida, United States, Sea Delight is a company operating in fisheries business which imports its products from various regions, including Asia. In Indonesia, Sea Delight partners with two national seafood companies each located in Surabaya, East Java dan Luwuk, Central Sulawesi. From both areas Sea Delight source two of its main products which are tuna (East Java) and grouper and snapper (Central Sulawesi). In working with WWF under the Seafood Savers Program, Sea Delight aim to achieve Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certifications, an eco label for sustainable seafood products. Aside from that, other efforts from Sea Delight to achieve sustainable fisheries include partnering with suppliers in the Trace Register program, making contributions to the development of eco label for sustainable products and continue giving support for suppliers already producing environmentally responsible seafood.

• About U.D Pulau Mas

Established in 1996, UD.Pulau Mas have recently emerged as a prominent live reef fish exporting company employing around 4000 fishermen in 8 provinces in Indonesia. The company has been banning destructive fishing, particularly cyanide fishing since its first establishment as an independent producing company. Until now UD.Pulau Mas is still and even being more intense in conducting various efforts toward sustainability, including continuous socialization to fishermen, education on sustainable fishing practices, and implementation of strict regulations regarding fish caught by the fishermen. Working together with WWF-Indonesia through Seafood Savers, UD.Pulau Mas aim for a specific goal that is to advocate the Indonesian government to establish a firm and reliable fisheries management.