FCF Fishery Company (FCF) announced today that its first load of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified skipjack tuna harvested from Pacific Island Nation (PNA) waters has been delivered to Papua New Guinea for processing. The sustainable harvest is a first for the region.
The 290 metric tons of MSC-certified skipjack were harvested by FCF’s associated purse seiners and carried from Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) to be processed by Wewak-based South Seas Tuna Corporation (SSTC), an FCF subsidiary.
According to FCF, SSTC plans to invest USD 3.5 million in capital expenditures to increase its production capacity to 160 MT per day.
“FCF has been a fisheries leader in the PNA region for more than 30 years,” said FCF CEO Mr. WH Lee. “This investment advances our production and sustainable operations capabilities while adding up to 700 additional labor jobs in Wewak.”
In January of this year, FCF made a public commitment to adhere to MSC sustainability standards while trading tuna harvested from PNA waters. Under the agreement, FCF ensures traceability and reporting of fish harvesting, transportation, and processing into semi-finished and finished products. Currently, more than 60 FCF-associated fishing vessels are MSC-certified.
“SSTC is excited to start processing sustainable fish at our Papua New Guinea headquarters,” said SSTC president Mike McCulley. “This environmental approach and strategic partnerships with local leaders are not only a boost to the Wewak economy; these measures also help ensure a sustainable and plentiful fishery for the Pacific Island Nations for generations to come.”
“As home to the world’s largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery, we have been looking forward to this day for years,” said Commercial Manager of PNA Fisheries Maurice Brownjohn. “It is always a pleasure to partner with companies like FCF and SSTC, which harvest, process and market PNA fish in an environmentally conscious and ethical manner; as well as to see fish delivered by carrier to local plants and processed in the region.”
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