21 Mar MSC assessment status

Species

Albacore and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus alalunga and Thunnus albacares) Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Mahi Mahi (Coryphaena hippurus)

MSC assessment status

The Conformity Assessment Body, Macalister-Elliot & Partners Ltd, has announced that the Walker Seafood Australia Albacore and Yellowfin tuna, swordfish and mahi mahi longline fishery has entered full assessment.

Fishery location

FAO statistical area 81, Western and Central Pacific Ocean

Fishing method

Pelagic mid-set longline

Fishery management

The Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the RFMO which is the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).

Commercial market

Mainly fresh into domestic, Japan and the United States. There is very little frozen product.

Assessment timeline

The assessment process is expected to take 12 months and is scheduled for completion around March 2015. Please see the download section for a detailed assessment timeline. The target eligibility date for this fishery is the date of certification. The MSC ecolabel can only be applied to product from certified fisheries. The MSC program does allow, in certain circumstances and within strict traceability requirements, the MSC ecolabel to be applied following certification to product caught before the actual date of certification. The target eligibility date therefore represents the date from which products may become eligible to carry the MSC ecolabel, however they cannot be sold until and if the fishery is certified. The actual eligibility date will be determined if the fishery is certified to the MSC standard.

Sourcing from this fishery

Full details on the conditions and risks associated with sourcing under MSC assessment fish.

Tonnage of the fishery

Total TAC (Total Allowable Catch) established for the fishery in 2013: Albacore 2,500 tonnes Swordfish 1,396 tonnes Yellowfin 2,200 tonnes