Ecuadorian Tuna Fishery Scripts History By Receiving Fair Trade Certification

A group of Ecuadorian pole-and-line fishers, the Asociacion Caneros de Manta, was awarded an international Fair Trade Certification for their tuna catches last month. It is the first Ecuadorian tuna fishery to receive this recognition which was jointly delivered by the National Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investments and Fisheries and the NGO Conservation International Ecuador (CI-Ecuador). The artisanal fishers have been striving towards achieving the Fair Trade Certification since 2008, read a statement from the UN FAO. A fishery receives this international certification if it complies with social, economic, and environmental standards characterizing that it operates sustainably and is environmentally responsible.

Julio José Prado, the Fisheries Minister, explained: “The tuna pole and line fishery is an example of sustainable and responsible artisanal fishing.” He stressed that an essential role was played by the Global Environment Facility through the United Nations Development Program to make the certification a reality. According to the FAO, the Fair Trade certification will open up new opportunities for the commercialization of pole and line-caught tuna, promoting the value of Ecuadorian fishing products in the international market.