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Tuna vessel. (Photo: Anfaco)
All OGAPAC tuna fleet has APR certification
SPAIN
Thursday, January 18, 2018, 21:40 (GMT + 9)
The total catch of the Spanish tuna fleet grouped in the Organization of Associated Producers of Large Tuna Freezers (OPAGAC) already has the Responsible Tuna Fishing (APR) certificate.
Last December, seven vessels of the Bernese company INPESCA also obtained this certificate, which are added to 39 other vessels that already obtained it in June 2017. It makes a total of about 400,000 tonnes of tropical tuna, 8 percent of the world volume of catches of this species. With this certification, OPAGAC fulfills its commitment to certify all catches of its vessels, which it announced at the Our Ocean conference, held last October.
Inpesca became part of the Association of Large Tuna Freezers (AGAC), parent association of OPAGAC, in October last year. The company owns six ships that operate the Indian Ocean and one in the Atlantic.
The APR certificate certifies compliance with the requirements established in the Spanish Standard UNE 195006 'Responsible tuna fishing. Freezer purse seiners', which guarantees the best practices in the triple socio-economic, environmental and control aspects. The standard ensures control of fishing activity, good practices on board vessels for responsible fishing, compliance with social conditions and safety at work in accordance with ILO Convention 188 and maritime and sanitary control.
"With the APR certification, shipowners guarantee distributors and consumers that their catches are backed by the best possible standards, even beyond legal requirements. In this sense, and given that the future of the tropical tuna fishery, as well as that of other species, depends not only on environmental sustainability but also on social sustainability, we hope that the APR Standard will serve as a reference for setting minimum requirements for tuna imported to the European market, "said Julio Morón, managing director of OPAGAC.
editorial@seafood.media
www.seafood.media
Photo Courtesy of FIS Member  ANFACO-CECOPESCA - Asociacion Nacional de Fabricantes de Conservas de Pescados y Mariscos-
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