Another US fishing company has signed up to a sustainable tuna fishing programme in the region run by the Parties to the Nauru Agreement.
Yellowfin tuna inside a purse seine net Photo: Supplied / SPC
The South Pacific Tuna Corporation, which runs a fleet of 14 boats in PNA waters, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the marketing arm of the PNA to meet Marine Stewardship Council standards.
The PNA's Commercial Manager Maurice Brownjohn says there has been a significant ramp up in interest in recent months as companies better understand the world recognised MSC ecolabel.
"This is consumer and market-driven. Retailers and consumers are very mindful of sustainability of the resources and this is why companies are looking towards MSC as being the gold standard for such practices."
Mr Brownjohn says 295 vessels fish in PNA waters and the majority of boats from the Philippines, Taiwan, China and other US companies are already on the programme.
He says the Korean and Japanese fleets are still to sign up but the PNA is in talks with them on the issue.
The PNA brings together eight countries in the Pacific and controls the world's largest sustainable tuna purse seine fishery.