Spanish retailer Eroski has reiterated its commitment to sourcing tuna sustainably, in which it pledges that all tuna used in its products must come from countries that adhere to strict sustainability laws, as well as refusing any product from countries that fail to establish controls against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
The retailer announced the pledge at a special meeting in Elorrio, in the Biscay province, which welcomed representatives of the Spanish tuna fleet, sector associations ANABAC and OPAGAC, the International Foundation for Sustainable Fisheries (ISSF) and AZTI, the marine and food technology expert centre.
The purpose of the meeting was to align the retailer's purchasing policies with the production processes of the European fishing fleet, particularly in the light of recent concerns over the availability of stocks of bluefin tuna.
Responsible and Committed
"The eleven principles of our sustainable fisheries policy are clearly in favour of fishing fleets that are responsible and committed to the sustainability of fishing grounds and human rights." said Eroski fresh food commercial director Iñigo Arias.
Commenting at the meeting, the president of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF), Juan Corrales, noted that sustainability practices must cover all fisheries, and "should be based on tight control of fishing activity in the application of best practices and minimum standards of working conditions."
Eroski currently labels each can of tuna with details of the species of fish, the area in which it was caught, and the method of fishing employed, as well as offer a direct link to the ISSF website for customers seeking more information.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
