In a stride towards fostering equity and sustainability in the seafood industry, the International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) is thrilled to announce new strategic partnerships with its newest members: Archipelagics Inc., Ainan Coop, and Samaki Bluu. These alliances strengthen IPNLF’s position and commitment to promoting responsible tuna sourcing worldwide and sustainable fisheries management.
Together with its members — a global network of industry leaders (commercial companies, large retail companies, seafood brands, food services, civil society organisations and associations), IPNLF operates as a unified body to push the industry to focus more on sustainability and works together with its market partners to drive change and improvements at sea and in one-by-one tuna supply chains. IPNLF members are based across the globe and collectively represent a wide range of stakeholders throughout the seafood industry. However, their reasons for supporting one-by-one tuna are the same: to ensure a sustainable source of seafood while protecting coastal livelihoods.
These new members are now part of a community of like-minded industry leaders and will gain access to leading expertise relating to the seafood sector. With this network of industry leaders and one-by-one fisheries, we work to drive change, encourage improvements – both at sea and throughout the supply chains and provide a lasting contribution to the U.N.’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Martin Purves, IPNLF Managing Director states: “We wouldn’t be able to drive change and protect the livelihoods of the many communities who depend on the ocean’s resources without the support of our members. We are very grateful for this support and their engagement in our work. Together we innovate and take action to secure, safeguard and build opportunities for the small-scale fishers we represent. We are excited to strengthen our relations in these key geographies and look forward to engaging with these new IPNLF members more closely.”
Archipelagics Inc. has solidified its position as a top player in the seafood industry, with over two decades of experience and a specialisation in premium tuna, snapper, grouper, and mahi mahi products. Their sourcing model directly engages artisanal fishers in eastern Indonesia, ensuring meticulous grading, processing, and hand-packing of each fish. This commitment to quality extends to their vertically integrated US marketing operations, emphasising transparency and adherence to rigorous social and environmental standards.
Indonesia’s role in the global ocean economy, with its rich marine biodiversity and employment of around 12 million individuals in the fisheries sector, underscores the importance of sustainable practices. Archipelagics Inc. is dedicated to transforming the industry by empowering consumers with knowledge about their seafood’s origins and supporting artisanal fishing communities in Eastern Indonesia. Their mission revolves around enhancing market access for Indonesian handline-caught tuna, promoting sustainable seafood consumption worldwide, and advocating for the rights and needs of local fishing communities in global fisheries management decisions.
Virigina Gosal, Head of Brand and Marketing, states: “Our mission is to improve market access of Indonesian handline caught tuna, and making sustainable seafood easy to find and understand. We’re proud to be an IPNLF member and we are committed to further advancing sustainable Indonesian seafood.”
Ainan Coop, based in the south of Japan, is committed to preserving traditional fishing methods and promoting responsible sourcing. The people of Japan deeply love skipjack tuna (‘Katsuo’ – 鰹/かつお), which holds a central place in local food culture. The cooperative plays a substantial role in shaping the future of Japan’s fishing sector, including skipjack tuna.
Ainan Coop sets itself apart through its dedication to community engagement and transparency, ensuring consumers have complete confidence in their seafood’s origins and harvesting methods. They are also the first fresh seafood in Japan to receive kosher certification.
Mr Okada, General Manager sales promotion department of Ainan Coop states: “Skipjack tuna landed at the Ainan Fisheries Cooperative is subject to traceability and is caught using sustainable fishing methods. We are very happy that our strength has been recognized by the IPNLF. We would like to disseminate further the importance of pole and line fishing methods both at home and abroad. We also want to contribute to fulfilling our responsibilities as a fisheries and ocean nation in global sustainable fisheries.”
(c) Samaki Bluu
In Tanzania, Samaki Bluu partners with Pemba Island’s small-scale fishing communities to advance sustainable fishing and protect marine resources. They focus on training these groups in eco-friendly practices and enhancing the traceability of the fisheries domestic value chain. Furthermore, Samaki Bluu is dedicated to supplying top-quality seafood that meets environmental sustainability and social equity standards, benefiting both fishers and customers. Samaki Bluu is indispensable for the local community and has built a remarkable reputation within the country’s hospitality industry.
Luke Saus, CEO & Founder Samaki Bluu states: “Samaki Bluu’s fishing fleet is composed of skilled fishermen from the local communities of the island. Leveraging their time-honoured fishing traditions, adept handling, and expert filleting techniques, along with a robust cold chain system, we guarantee the delivery of the freshest, highest-grade fish to any location in Africa”.
Philippine Wouters, IPNLF Communications Director, states: “We are thrilled to announce the continuous growth of IPNLF’s membership, with the recent addition of these visionary companies and the cooperative committed to enhancing market access for sustainably caught tuna and elevating the recognition of artisanal fishing communities. Archipelagics Inc. and Ainan Coop focus on both local and international markets, while Samaki Bluu is integral to the island’s community, providing top-quality products to Tanzania. Their partnership with IPNLF strengthens our global commitment to responsible fishing practices, ocean conservation, and the support of fishing communities.”
As an organisation, IPNLF distinguishes itself by connecting coastal one-by-one tuna fisheries to markets. This ensures direct market participation and our membership offers them the opportunity to engage in improvement projects within their tuna supply chains. Some IPNLF members have been with us since inception in 2012! Find all IPNLF members here
We believe collaboration lies at the heart of sustainable change. Therefore, membership is open to all companies associated with and / or present within the one-by-one tuna supply chain.
Commercial Membership is available to businesses procuring one-by-one tuna, but can otherwise be based throughout any stage of the supply chain. Complimentary membership is available to (fishery) associations, academia, as well as not-for-profit and civil society organisations that promote industry best practices.
IPNLF’s ‘2025 Commitment’ asks our members to drive transparency, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability in their one-by-one tuna supply chains. Therefore, we ask members to actively implement improvements in at least 75% of their one-by-one tuna supply chains by 2025. You can find more information and apply for IPNLF membership through this digital page.