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Atlantic Ocean tuna - purse seine (Capsen & Grand Bleu S.A.) (FIP)

Access FIP Public Report

Last Updated: 2024-09-16

Access FIP ETP Workplan Analysis

Progress Rating: A

Evaluation Start Date: 2020-04-03

Type: Comprehensive

Status: Active

FIP Lead: Key Traceability (KT)

Stock Profile Link
Skipjack tuna - Eastern Atlantic Ocean
Yellowfin tuna - Atlantic Ocean
Bigeye tuna - Atlantic Ocean

Comments:

The last stage 4 result was reported within the past 12 months. FIP remains A rated.

1. FIP Development	Apr 20	Fishery assessment or scoping document made public 4 April 2020 — MSC pre-assesment made public
2. FIP Launch	Mar 20	Confirmation of project participants 30 March 2020 — Participant list confirmed
2. FIP Launch	Jul 24	Workplan made public 1 July 2024 — Updated 2024 Workplan 3 April 2020 — Workplan made public
3. FIP Implementation	Apr 24	FIP activities undertaken 1 April 2024 — The FIP has amended its FAD management policy to disclose that they are now using 100% fully non-entangling FADs in their vessel operations. 1 October 2023 — The FIP has produced position statements ahead of the October ICCAT Virtual Meeting. 20 September 2023 — The FIP has amended its FAD management policy to disclose that they are now using a combination of lower-entangling and fully non-entangling materials rather than fully non-entangling; the company plans to transition entirely to fully non-entangling materials by the start of 2024. 1 April 2023 — Installation of EM systems onboard FIP vessels is underway. 1 February 2023 — The FIP produced a waste management questionnaire for Capsen and Grand Bleu to complete in order to learn more about their current waste management strategies and the estimated weight of the waste that is produced by the FIP vessels. The FIP also conducted a site visit to Senegal to discuss the plans for the waste management policy. 16 January 2023 — The FIP has updated its Fins Naturally Attached policy which highlights and clarifies that shark finning in the fishery is prohibited and sharks must be landed with their fins naturally attached. 17 October 2022 — Capsen and Satlink have signed an agreement to initiate the installation of EM systems onboard the FIP vessels. 13 October 2022 — Capsen has made their current FAD policy available 1 October 2022 — The FIP continues to lobby ICCAT and has produced position statements ahead of the May 2022 Panel 1 meeting and plenary meeting planned for November 2022. 1 September 2022 — The FIP has held meetings with the Guniea and Liberian Fisheries Ministries to request data/ information about the (P3) management practices and policies in place in the coastal states. 3 August 2022 — A formal observer training session was conducted and observers were educated on the importance of recording species-specific data; topics discussed included the proper recording of individual weights and the condition of the individual upon release. 1 October 2021 — A position statement has been written, reviewed, and sent to ICCAT; the statement asks for the development of re-building strategies and recommends a precautionary TAC for bigeye tuna at <61,500t. 1 October 2021 — African Coastal Countries' signed signatory statement; the signatory states compliance with an initiative to maintain FAD closures for three months and set a limit on the number of FADs to 300 per vessel. 17 September 2021 — Draft report on principle III made available; Key Traceability prepared a report to review the coastal states associated with the fishery, against the MSC standard to address the actions listed under Principle 3. 19 July 2021 — Stock assessment meeting was held to discuss the new stock assessment that was conducted for bigeye in 2021; assessment data has been made available within the meeting report. 1 April 2021 — FAD performance report made available which outlines the progress of the FAD implementation across the FIP. 1 December 2020 — Ecological trap hypothesis of FADs study completed 1 October 2020 — The FIP has collected catch data representing the landings of six vessels between 2016 and 2020. 1 September 2020 — The FIP produced a position statement to the ICCAT ahead of the annual meeting (which has now been cancelled) advocating for stock status and rebuilding for Atlantic bigeye. 1 July 2020 — A FAD Policy of Intent has been agreed by all stakeholders.
4. Improvements in Fishing Practices and Fishery Management	Mar 24	Verifiable improvement in policy/management and fishing practices 1 March 2024 — Increase to PI 2.2.1 2.2.3, 2.3.2 & 2.3.3; The FIP trained 30 new observers to record catch information and an analysis was produced based on their data from the 2023- 2024 season. Catch information about secondary and ETP species is now available. 1 April 2023 — The FIP has installed electric monitoring systems across the fleet. 20 October 2022 — The FIP has produced and updated its Sustainable Fisheries Policy which now includes a new shark finning policy that prohibits finning across all vessels. 1 April 2022 — Senegalese observer program now using e-catch reporting via catch data templates which have been installed on the Samsung tablets (change in practice) 9 December 2021 — The FIP has adopted a FAD policy on the use of non-entangling and biodegradable FADs.
5. Improvements on the Water	Mar 24	Verifiable improvement on the water 1 March 2024 — Increase to PI 2.2.1; The FIP trained 30 new observers to record catch information and an analysis was produced based on their data from the 2023- 2024 season. Catch information and the bycatch rate of secondary species is now available.
6. MSC certification (optional)	—	MSC certificate made public