The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF), in collaboration with Sea Delight LLC and Prime Seafood, are excited to announce the launch of the Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) for a handline tuna fishery targeting yellowfin tuna in Brazil, driving greater sustainability in the sector. The FIP currently covers 87 vessels that supply Prime Seafood and that are landing their catches in the ports of Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte State in northeastern Brazil.
The main objective of the FIP is to improve the sustainability of the fishery to a level of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification by 2026, for which key actions will be implemented, such as:
Sea Delight President Cesar Bencosme comments that: “We are very proud to be part of this FIP and to be introducing Brazilian one-by-one handline tuna to the US market. We hope that the responsible practices and sustainable management measures being taken will help guarantee the long-term sustainability of the fishery so that we can continue supplying these healthy and delicious proteins for generations to come.”
— Mr. Cesar Bencosme, President Sea Delight
As part of the FIP partnership arrangement, Prime Seafood recently joined IPNLF as a member, thereby signing up to the IPNLF Code of Conduct and supporting the IPNLF 2025 Commitment, in which all IPNLF Members commit to drive transparency, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability in their one-by-one tuna supply chains while actively implementing improvements in at least 75% of their one-by-one tuna supply chains by 2025. Sea Delight has been an IPNLF member since 2019.
Prime President, Eduardo Naslavsky, stated: “By joining with IPNLF and Sea Delight in
this FIP we continue the Prime Seafood policy of respect and cooperation with Brazil’s environmental legislation on the sustainable development of this fishery and the FIP’s step-wise goals of respect for the ecosystem and the fishing communities.”— Mr. Eduardo Naslavsky, Prime Seafood President
Brazil has a long tradition of one-by-one tuna fishing due to the country’s strategic proximity to the migratory routes of the main stocks of tuna. The great length of its coast – approximately 8,500 km – contributes to a thriving tuna fishing industry. Handline yellowfin catches from the coastal areas Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte State (up to 100 nm) average approximately 12,500 tonnes/year, with its main export market intended for the United States.
This FIP and its partners will contribute to driving greater transparency in tuna supply chains, ensure traceability, and improve the position of this artisanal fishery in the market, thereby supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 14.b, while also contributing to good fisheries governance. This project will further contribute to more sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems, thereby also helping to safeguard the livelihoods of fishers and their communities.
The activities of the FIP will be regularly updated on FisheryProgress.org and performance measured against the actions identified in the agreed work plan. Full details of the FIP can be found at the Brazil yellowfin tuna – handline FIP profile.
Sea Delight LLC is a major importer and distributor of frozen seafood in the US market. The company was founded in 2006 with the goal of targeting the market for high quality frozen seafood products, specializing in yellowfin tuna. Since 2012, Sea Delight has been working with “on-by-one” handline tuna fisheries to supply our customers with the best quality, responsibly sourced, products possible. Please find more information on their sourcing transparency profile.
Sea Delight, Prime Seafood Brazil and the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) have been cooperating for over 2 years to establish a viable Comprehensive Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) in the Brazil Handline Tuna Fishery. With this FIP launch announcement Sea Delight commits to supporting the FIP and completing the tasks required in the FIP Action Plan. This FIP, and the work needed to reach sustainability certification, will help support the fishers, the fishing communities, and all of the people working in the chain of custody of handline tuna from the project.
Prime Seafood has a proud tradition of exporting the finest quality seafood products from Brazil to markets worldwide. Prime sources from local artisanal fishing communities and cooperates closely with the Brazil Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries in sustainable fishery management.
Prime has been working with the Brazil Handline fishery for more than 4 years now and welcomes this opportunity to join with the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) and Sea Delight in bringing high-quality “one-by-one” yellowfin tuna to the US Market from a Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) and working towards sustainability certification.
The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) promotes the sustainable management of the world’s responsible pole-and-line, handline and troll (collectively known as ‘one-by-one’) tuna fisheries while also recognising the importance of safeguarding the livelihoods they support.
IPNLF’s work to develop, support and promote one-by-one tuna fisheries is subsequently fully aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Supporting tuna that is responsibly caught can have powerful economic, social and environmental benefits: We believe effective and equitable global governance is essential to protect and restore the ocean, and this should be achieved by ensuring the participation of local and coastal communities in decision-making processes.
Environmental sustainability in tuna fisheries can only be fully achieved by also putting an end to the overfishing and destructive fishing practices that are driving the degradation of already threatened marine species, habitats and ecosystems. Allied with its members, IPNLF demonstrates the value of one-by-one caught tuna to consumers, policymakers and throughout the supply chain. IPNLF works across science, policy and the seafood sector, using an evidence-based, solutions-focused approach with strategic guidance from our Board of Trustees and advice from our Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and Market Advisory Group (MAG).
IPNLF was officially registered in the United Kingdom in 2012 (Charity 1145586), with branch offices in the UK, South Africa, Indonesia, The Netherlands, and the Maldives.