Our commitment to sourcing MSC fish and supporting Fishery Improvement Projects
The Marine Stewardship Council, known as MSC, is an international non-profit organisation and leading certification and ecolabelling programme that works to protect oceans and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. At Princes, our aim is to source MSC certified fish and we’re actively involved in Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) around the world in order to improve fisheries management and source new MSC products. FIPs make and enforce rules to prevent overfishing and help rebuild overfished stocks.
OPAGAC, a FIP covering multiple oceans and MSC assessment
Launched in 2016, this FIP encompasses all purse seine boats that are members of OPAGAC (the Spanish acronym for the Organization of Associated Producers of Large Freezer Tuna Vessels) fishing for the three main tuna species across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The FIP entered into MSC assessment in 2020.
Simply select a point on the map to find out more
North East Pacific
Our key suppliers in the Eastern Tropical Pacific source from the TUNACONS FIP, which entered into MSC assessment in 2020.
Indian Ocean MSC certified skipjack
We source skipjack tuna from the MSC certified Echebastar Purse Seine Fishery and the Maldives MSC Certified Pole & Line Fishery.
Pacific Ocean
Princes sources MSC tuna from the PNA fishery, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea certified fisheries.
AP2HI FIP – Indonesia
We source pole and line tuna from Indonesia’s AP2HI FIP. The FIP involves a number of vessel owners, processors and non-governmental bodies from across the region. The Western Pacific element of the FIP was certified to the MSC standard in January 2021.
New Zealand Skipjack Purse Seine FAD Free Fishery
We source skipjack tuna from the purse seine Fish Aggregating Device (FAD)-free fishery in New Zealand. Part of this fishery is certified to the MSC standard.
TUNACONS FIP and MSC assessment
Princes sources MSC certified pink and red salmon from the Alaskan fishery.
OPAGAC multi-ocean FIP and MSC assessment
Launched July 2016, this FIP encompasses all purse seine vessels that are members of OPAGAC fishing the three main tuna species across the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The FIP formally concluded in 2020, with the fisheries entering into MSC assessment.
AP2HI FIP – Indonesia
We source pole and line tuna from Indonesia’s AP2HI FIP. The FIP involves a number of vessel owners, processors and non-governmental bodies from across the region. The Western Pacific element of the FIP was certified to the MSC standard in January 2021.
Moroccan sardine FIP
Our key sardine supplier is a member of the Moroccan sardine FIP. The FIP aims to improve the management of the sardine fishery and is expected to enter MSC assessment in 2021.
North East Atlantic
Princes sources mackerel from the North East Atlantic fishery. This fishery was MSC certified until early 2019 and Princes, through its membership in the North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy (NAPA) Group is calling on fishery managers to set catches in line with scientific advice and regain MSC certification.
Sustainable Indian Ocean Tuna Initiative (SIOTI)
Princes is a founding member of SIOTI, a partnership of tuna processors, vessel owners and WWF. The FIP represents a significant investment by Princes and aims to secure the sustainable management of Skipjack, Yellowfin and Bigeye tuna in the Indian Ocean, with the ultimate goal of achieving MSC certification. Further detail on the SIOTI FIP is provided below.
How do we catch our fish
Tuna
Our dolphin safe tuna is caught using pole and line or purse seine net fishing to reduce the levels of other fish being caught.
Pole-and-line
A simple fishing pole and a baited hook is used by our fishermen to catch tuna one-by-one. This highly-selective technique minimises the chance of other types of fish being caught.
Purse seine nets
Purse seine nets sit upright in the water with their bottom edge held down by weights and their top edge supported by floats. Fishing boats tow the net to surround schools of fish. All large purse seine boats we source from have to use methods to reduce the levels of other fish caught unintentionally.
Salmon
Our fresh packed salmon is wild caught in the Pacific Oceans using purse seine nets and gillnets. The size of the holes in the gillnets is optimised to target salmon and not other species.
Gillnets
Gillnets work by catching fish which try to swim through the mesh nets. The size of the mesh is designed specifically for the Salmon meaning that the bycatch of other fish is reduced.
Purse seine nets
Purse seine nets sit upright in the water with their bottom edge held down by weights and their top edge supported by floats. Fishing boats tow the net to surround schools of fish. Catching fish this way reduces the chances of catching other, unwanted types of fish unintentionally.
Mackerel, Sardines & Kippers
Our mackerel, sardines and kippers are caught using trawl nets and purse seine nets, which don’t touch the sea floor. which reduces the chance of catching other sea life unintentionally.
Trawl nets
These cone-shaped nets are dragged through the mid-water behind a trawler. Because they don’t touch the bottom of the sea, there is very little danger of them damaging the sea bed and destroying marine habitat.
Purse seine nets
Purse seine nets sit upright in the water with their bottom edge held down by weights and their top edge supported by floats. Fishing boats tow the net to surround schools of fish. Catching fish this way reduces the chances of catching other, unwanted types of fish unintentionally.
