Denpasar, 15/7/11 – WWF, a global conservation organization today signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PT. Asindo Minasegara (ANOVA Food), to join efforts in improving the fisheries industry through implementations of fishing and fish processing practices that are more environment-friendly.

Dr, Efransjah, CEO of WWF-Indonesia, in his speech explains, “WWF welcomes PT. Asindo to join forces in creating improvement in the policy and monitoring of the fishery sectors. We encourage corporations to have positive initiatives to align their business practices according to sustainable principles.”

“There are serious recommended steps the company has to take into account following this MoU, that will ascertain its full membership in Seafood Savers. But Asindo has taken the right step in joining with SEAFOOD SAVERS for the fisheries industry long term sustainability,” Efransjah continues.

SEAFOOD SAVERS is a dialogue and cooperation between corporations, initiated by WWF-Indonesia in 2009 aims to strengthen the support from the industry towards improvement of Indonesian marine fisheries. Industry is one of the most potential sectors to give influence either towards improvement or degradation of environment and natural resource sustainability.

PT. Asindo Minasegara is a tuna and reef fish exporting company based in Indonesia which supplies fish to European and US markets, sourcing fish from Bone, Pangkajene and Selayar waters of South Sulawesi using handline and bottom longline. The MoU stated four main recommendations to be complied by Asindo: a) Licensing all FADs and boats following government regulation; b) Recording fish caught by fishermen following Indonesian regulation; c) Support local government or others relevant institutions (NGOs, Universities) on identification of spawning season and location; and d) Develop a communication system and tools for the practice of sustainable fishing and avoiding IUU fishing to internal staffs and fishermen.

All of the recommendations given are the results of a field evaluations conducted by WWF-Indonesia staffs. 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 of eco label. The evaluation also touches other aspects outside of environmental issues, such as the chain of custody and profit shares made along that chain.

Blane Olson, CEO of PT. Asindo Minasegara which is present to sign the Memorandum stated that himself and the Asindo team are really looking forward to working with WWF as well as other relevant stakeholders in fulfilling the recommendations given to them.

“By signing this MoU we put in writing our commitment to thrive and make efforts to achieve sustainable fisheries. We view our involvement in Seafood Savers as a form of long term investment that could potentially ensure the sustainability of this business, consumers’ satisfaction in consuming seafood and the wellbeing of fishermen whose lives depend on those marine resources”, Blane further explained.

WWF and the parent company of Asindo, ANOVA Food of the Netherlands have worked together in a project called ‘fishing and living’. In this project Anova Food collaborates with WWF Indonesia to focus on two main activities which are: a) pilot trials of gear adjustment (using circle hooks instead of J-hooks) and observer program with tuna long-line vessels supplying Anova, in order to minimize by-catch of sea turtles and b) advising on and building of capacity of key hand-line fishery members to be part of a pre-assessment for MSC certification.
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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

Notes 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-Indonesa is a conservation organization conservation organizations that have a vision to preserve the biodiversity of Indonesia for the welfare of the present and future generations, with a primary focus in the field of marine affairs and fisheries that include management and utilization of marine and coastal resources in a sustainable and responsible manners through the protection and management of areas that are important for the ecosystem and marine ecology, sustainable and responsible fisheries business transformation, and protection of endangered and protected marine species.

About PT. ASINDO MINASEGARA
PT. ASINDO MINASEGARA is the subsidiary of ANOVA Food, a seafood importing company based in the Netherlands. PT.ASINDO MINASEGARA main business includes exports of seafood products, mainly tuna and reef fish to various countries in Europe and the United States. PT.ASINDO MINASEGARA aims to provide high quality, sustainable seafood products to our customers while at the same time ensuring the long term success and sustainability of the small scale coastal fisherman and his community.