Bolton Group will increase its commitment to fishing sustainability by 22pct from current level. (Photo: Bolton)

Greenpeace welcomes tuna industry leader’s move to reduce impact on oceans

The environmental organisation Greenpeace welcomes the initiative taken by a leading fish cannery to reduce its environmental impacts, following years of pressure by activists, supporters and concerned individuals across the globe.

To meet its goal, Bolton Foods, which includes Rio Mare and Saupiquet in its brands, has committed to source 50 per cent of its tuna using selective fishing methods (pole and line, handline and purse seiners without FADs) by 2020, an increase of 22 per cent from current level.

In addition, it will also reduce its use of destructive fishing by cutting back its use of FADs — the floating fishing tools responsible each year of the killing of huge numbers of endangered sharks, marine turtles and seabirds.

Its new policy will see it set strict reduction targets on suppliers’ vessels, with a maximum of 300 FADs to be used a year, in line with earlier commitments by Thai Union. Bolton pledges to impose even tighter restrictions on its own vessels where in addition to reduction of FADS, the use of FAD supply vessels will be forbidden.

Bolton pledges to impose even tighter restrictions on its own vessels where in addition to reducing FADS, the use of FAD supply vessels will be forbidden.(Photo: Greenpace FAD campaign)

“Bolton’s new policy clearly shows momentum to improve standards among the biggest tuna players in the world, after the landmark set of environmental and social commitments agreed by Thai Union in 2017,” pointed out Greenpeace International oceans campaigner, Oliver Knowles.

The environmentalist explained that reducing use of drifting FADs, committing to end use of so-called FAD supply vessels for its fleets and replacing this with lower impact fishing is a solid step in the right direction.

Tuna vessel crew preparing an FAD on board. (Photo: Blog - Francisco Blaha)

In his view, this move should increase pressure on other major tuna companies to follow suit by cutting their FAD use. The growing global movement of people fighting to protect the oceans will be watching Bolton closely to ensure they deliver on their ambitious promises.

 
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