An independent adjudicator in New York has dismissed an objection to the re-certification of sustainable tuna fisheries controlled by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, or PNA.
Tuna on the deck of a Pacific fishing vessel. Photo: RNZI/Giff Johnson
Its eight member nations control about half the global supply of skipjack tuna, the most commonly canned variety.
The objection was lodged by the International Pole and Line Foundation whose members are thought to dominate tuna supply to the United Kingdom.
The PNA's commercial manager, Maurice Brownjohn, said the objection appeared to have been supported by donors in the UK.
"And this is a market where we are increasingly getting market share because of the ability of this region to provide independently certified and high quality chain of custody for validating certification claims of the products that come from this region"
Maurice Brownjohn said the objection was led by a Queen's Counsel and a team of barristers exposing it as the action of commercial interests and not fishermen.
The re-certification was granted by the Marine Stewardship Council for the PNA's skipjack and yellowfin fisheries and now covers waters belonging to the territory of Tokelau, which is not a PNA member.