A new partnership has been announced to bring an unprecedented level of transparency to global tuna fisheries.
The new team is a collaborative effort between the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP), Global Fishing Watch (GFW) and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). The project is made possible by funding from the Walmart Foundation.
The teams will use SFP’s FishSource and Seafood Metrics platforms, then integrate them with the information provided by the ISSF’s Proactive Vessel Register (PVR) and Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives (VOSI). Additionally, data from GFW’s Vessel Viewer and Marine Manager will be incorporated to provide the most comprehensive picture possible of global tuna fisheries.
Commenting on the new partnership, Kathryn Novak, biodiversity and nature director at SFP, stated:
“We aren’t reinventing the wheel. We’re making it easier for tuna buyers to utilize all of the valuable, existing data and resources by putting them together on a platform they’re already familiar with and connecting it with their sourcing. By combining existing resources, we can equip buyers with the information they need to make more informed decisions.”
While ISSF President Susan Jackson added:
“Verified transparency is the cornerstone of credible, science-based sustainability. By contributing vessel-level insights to this collaboration, we’re helping to close information gaps that have long challenged stakeholders seeking to evaluate seafood sustainability. We value our partnership with SFP, whose retailer-facing platforms and policy engagement are instrumental in ensuring that sustainability commitments are rooted in science, transparency and measurable progress.”
Meanwhile, Global Fishing Watch Director of Program Initiatives Charles Kilgour added:
“We’re excited to contribute to a collaboration that empowers tuna buyers with the information they need to make responsible sourcing decisions. By integrating key data sources into a platform already familiar with industry, we’re helping build a broader and more inclusive understanding of vessel-level activity – including data gaps and key risk indicators. This enables industry to better target risk mitigation efforts and strengthens accountability and cooperation between government and industry, in a way that is driving a shift to more sustainable and transparent policies.”
