The sustainability of our seafood is becoming a much talked about issue, from the fresh fish at our local market, to the majestic Bluefin tuna widely considered to be endangered, to concerns about the canned tuna many of us enjoy as a healthy every day snack. You will find information on this site useful in understanding how the issues you might read in the paper specifically relate to the canned tuna in your local supermarket.

There are five key questions currently being asked about the sustainability of canned tuna sold in Australia. Asking these questions helps to determine whether the tuna we eat is contributing to the problem of overfishing.

About us

This website was prepared by the people that sell Greenseas canned tuna in Australia. Through our partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Oceanic Fisheries Programme (SPC-OFP) we have checked with scientists to ensure what we have said on this website is accurate. We also keep in touch with groups like Greenpeace, the WWF and the Australian Government, as their fisheries experts also help us to understand this complex issue. If you have any queries or concerns about the accuracy of the information on this site, please let us know so that we can set things right if need be. The photos on this website have been provided by the SPC-OFP.

Greenseas is contributing to the sustainability of canned tuna in Australia by

including more information on the can so consumers can make an informed choice about species, fishing methods and the area of catching
including more information on our websites (including this one) about tuna fishing and sustainability
working with our suppliers on ways to improve the traceability of our products
providing financial support to the SPC-OFP who conduct scientific assessments and provide advice to all those involved in tuna sustainability across the WCPO
publishing a commitment to source sustainably caught tuna, including details about where we source our tuna, how it is caught and how we label it

Contact us

If you have any further questions about tuna sustainability, drop us an email .
If we can’t answer it straight away, we’ll ask someone who can.

Taking Action

We can all take steps to ensure canned tuna remains an affordable, convenient, healthy and tasty snack for generations to come.

What you can do

Consumers can make a difference by purchasing tuna with the least environmental impact. In Australia, this means choosing by species (Skipjack), area of catching (WCPO) and by fishing method (Pole and Line or Purse-Seine). So, look for these on the label or on company websites.

What brands and retailers can do

Brands can help by making more information available to consumers about their products, working with suppliers to improve traceability, supporting the science that supports fisheries and conservation management, and supporting industry efforts to reduce bycatch on FADs.

What governments can do

Governments are responsible for implementing conservation measures, managing monitoring and compliance regimes, and adequately resourcing independent scientific research and analysis.

What environmental organisations can do

NGOs (like WWF, Greenpeace and ISSF) can continue to raise awareness among consumers of tuna sustainability issues, and to work responsibly with industry and Governments to find workable solutions where issues are evident.

Links

For more information about tuna sustainability in the WCPO and globally, browse the following websites: