Five-Continent Partnership to Advance Management Procedure Development for South Atlantic Albacore

May 13, 2025

AuthorShana Miller
Project Director, The Ocean Foundation

We are pleased to announce that the www.HarvestStrategies.org host, The Ocean Foundation (TOF), has received a 2-year grant from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to facilitate the development and formal adoption of a management strategy evaluation (MSE) tested management procedure (MP) for South Atlantic albacore (Thunnus alalunga). The unique partnership commits funding from not just MSC, but also TOF and all five commercial fisheries with current or pending MSC sustainable seafood certification. Learn more in the official press release and explore the project page for updates and resources.

The project will support MSE development efforts led by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which agreed to management objectives for the stock last year to serve as the guiding vision for a future MP. Funding will help independent MSE experts and ICCAT scientists to build the modelling framework to identify the MP options most likely to achieve the agreed objectives.

Katherine Collinson, Fisheries Certification Specialist for one of the industry partners, Tri Marine International, said, “By targeting long-term sustainability and resilience, this project will create a replicable model that enhances both compliance with MSC standards and sustainable management for the South Atlantic albacore fishery. This work will specifically advance the necessary progress of all MSC-certified South Atlantic albacore fisheries, which require the implementation of well-defined harvest control rules, like its northern stock counterpart.”

Jack Huang, Manager of Commercial, Operation & Compliance for another project partner, Tuna Alliance Inc., said, “We are honored to receive this funding, which will enable us to strengthen sustainable fisheries management and further uphold our commitment to responsible ocean stewardship. With this support, we can enhance traceability, implement advanced monitoring measures, and collaborate globally with our partners to address the impacts on marine environments, fishery resources, and habitats. As part of the seafood industry, we recognize that safeguarding our oceans is essential for the long-term sustainability of our industry and the well-being of future generations. We value this opportunity to contribute to ocean conservation and look forward to making a meaningful impact through this collaboration.”

Arthur Yeh, Executive Vice President at FCF Co., Ltd., a lead partner on the project, added, “We are extremely honored that the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has provided us with this invaluable opportunity, granting support in our journey toward fishery sustainability. This funding is particularly crucial as it directly supports our efforts in the South Atlantic Albacore Longline Fishery, enabling us to enhance stock assessments, improve traceability, and develop a scientifically robust and reliable harvest strategy.”

We at www.HarvestStrategies.org look forward to contributing to this innovative partnership to expand the transparent, science-based, results-driven management that MPs afford to the valuable stock of South Atlantic albacore.