International Seafood Sustainability Foundation

International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
International Seafood Sustainability Foundation · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Name	International Seafood Sustainability Foundation
Formation	2009
Type	Non-profit organization
Headquarters	Honolulu, Hawaii
Region served	International
Leader title	Executive Director

International Seafood Sustainability Foundation The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) is an industry-supported nonprofit established in 2009 to promote science-based conservation of tuna stocks and reduction of bycatch in global fisheries. Founded by a coalition of multinational tuna companies, regional fisheries management organizations such as the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, and scientific institutions including the International Union for Conservation of Nature, ISSF focuses on policy, research, and capacity building across major ocean basins. The foundation operates at the intersection of commercial seafood supply chains represented by actors like National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-linked programs, market-driven frameworks exemplified by the Marine Stewardship Council, and multilateral governance such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

History

ISSF was created in response to concerns about declines in Pacific bluefin tuna and other pelagic species flagged by scientists at organizations including the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. Early impetus drew on precedents set by groups like the World Wildlife Fund and private-sector initiatives such as the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch program. Founding partners included global seafood corporations with links to trading centers like Tokyo, Vancouver, Manila, and ports such as San Diego and Pusan. In the 2010s, ISSF expanded activities in response to assessments from bodies like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and scientific advice from panels associated with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Mission and Objectives

ISSF’s stated mission emphasizes science-based measures to ensure long-term sustainability of key tuna stocks, aligning with international targets such as those of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and Sustainable Development Goal 14. Objectives include rebuilding depleted stocks referenced in assessments by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, reducing bycatch of species listed under the Convention on Migratory Species, improving fisheries management through adoption of measures advocated by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, and promoting transparency in supply chains linked to markets in United States, European Union, Japan, and China.

Governance and Funding

Governance comprises a board with representatives from corporate members, scientific advisors drawn from institutions like the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and regional centers such as the Pacific Community (SPC). Funding streams originate from membership fees paid by companies in seafood value chains, contributions from foundations comparable to the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and grants aligned with multilateral programs run by the Global Environment Facility. ISSF governance has been juxtaposed against models used by entities such as the Nature Conservancy and the Pew Charitable Trusts, and administrative oversight has been compared to nonprofit standards upheld by registrars in jurisdictions like Hawaii and Delaware.

Research and Conservation Programs

ISSF sponsors scientific research including stock assessments akin to those produced by the Scientific Committee of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, tagging programs similar to projects at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and observer programs paralleling protocols of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species compliance monitoring. Programmatic efforts address bycatch issues affecting species such as sea turtles, seabirds like albatrosses monitored under the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, and sharks listed in appendices of CITES. ISSF promotes best practices including circle hook adoption, measures to mitigate IUU fishing comparable to frameworks in Port State Measures Agreement, and electronic monitoring trials echoing initiatives by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the European Commission.

Partnerships and Collaborations

ISSF collaborates with regional fisheries management organizations such as the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, as well as research centers like the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation’s scientific partners (note: organizational name not to be linked per directive). It engages market actors including retailers and processors operating in hubs like Seattle, Barcelona, and Tokyo, and aligns with certification and NGO actors such as the Marine Stewardship Council and Conservation International. Multi-stakeholder collaborations have included technical exchanges with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and data-sharing pilots with institutions like the International Telecommunications Union for electronic reporting.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critics have raised concerns about close ties between industry funders and policy advocacy, drawing comparisons to debates involving organizations such as Coca-Cola and public health NGOs, and scrutinizing conflict-of-interest arrangements similar to controversies faced by the International Food Policy Research Institute. Environmental groups including Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd have questioned ISSF’s influence on regional decision-making in bodies like the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Questions have been posed regarding transparency and effectiveness relative to independent scientific assessments from organizations such as the IUCN and academic institutions like Stanford University and University of California, Santa Barbara, and about the pace of stock rebuilding compared with targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity and national commitments of states such as Mexico and Philippines.

Category:Environmental organizations