Korean food and beverage distributor, Dongwon F&B Co., Ltd., Korea’s canned tuna market leader, is the latest to join the conservation efforts of the ISSF. Dongwon is also the major shareholder of StarKist USA, which was a founding member of ISSF in 2009.
“Tuna plays a major role in Korea’s fisheries economy and Korea can play a significant role in the sustainability of tuna stocks in all oceans,†ISSF President Susan Jackson said. “Dongwon is in a prime position to bring the advocacy and advancements we develop at ISSF to leaders in Korea, and throughout the world, and ISSF welcomes the leadership.â€
In a recent rating by Greenpeace of Korea’s canned tuna brands Dongwon ranked lowest in the sustainability evaluation because it refused to provide any information on the sustainability of its products. In the last week of September activists from the Greenpeace ship Esperanza occupied the dry dock where one of Dongwon’s purse seine ships, MV Granada, was being repaired. They were showing a large banner saying “Dongwon’s Destructive Fishing Starts Hereâ€.
Dongwon F&B Co., Ltd. accounts for about 75% of Korea’s canned tuna market and is based in Seoul, South Korea.
Despite the recent protests by Greenpeace ISSF says today that the company successfully completed an audit that demonstrates compliance with ISSF conservation measures and bylaws, and that it will be just like all participating companies subject to ongoing audits to ensure continued compliance.
ISSF today has 21 industry partners, which comprise more than 75% of the world’s canned tuna processing capacity, with well-known brands produced and sold in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Pacific Islands and Asia. ISSF says it has no tuna fishing companies as members.
Today Dongwon Korea announced it will order two new 1900 M/T tuna purse seiners, which will be fishing tuna in the Western Pacific Ocean.