About Us

 

The International Seafood Sustainability Association (ISSA) is a trade association whose members are tuna processors and marketers who, by virtue of their ISSA membership, agree to follow the conservation measures implemented by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).  ISSF is a global partnership among scientists, the tuna industry and the environmental non-governmental organization community. Its mission is to undertake science-based initiatives for the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna stocks, reducing by-catch and promoting ecosystem health.

 

Close cooperation with the world’s major tuna regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) and their scientists is the first governance principle of the ISSF. The second governance principle is to follow sound scientific recommendations, which will be developed and recommended to the ISSF board by a science committee of internationally recognized authorities on marine biology and ecosystems, ocean fisheries and especially tuna sustainability.

 

·         Bolton Alimentari
·         Bumble Bee Foods, LLC
·         Chicken of the Sea Intl.
·         Chotiwat Manufacturing Co.

·         Conservas Garavilla, S.A.
·         FRINSA

·         Jealsa Rianxeira S.A.
·         MW Brands
·         Negocios Industriales Real NIRSA S.A.
·         Princes, Ltd.
·         Salica
·         Sea Value
·         Starkist Co.
·         Tri Marine International

 

 

Stocks of skipjack, yellowfin and albacore tuna, the species most commonly processed for canned and shelf-stable tuna products, appear to be in generally good health around the world. Still, ISSF wants to ensure that effective management practices are in place to maintain the health of all the tuna stocks.

 

The RFMOs are primarily responsible for managing the world’s tuna stocks. The tuna RFMOs are well intentioned, grounded in good science and in many instances have been effective, but unfortunately their parliamentary procedures too often allow the short-term economic and political interests of some of their member nations to trump good science.

 

 

Staff Leadership:
 

·         ISSA President, Susan Jackson

 

Board Leadership:
 

·         Chairman, Christopher Lischewski (Bumble Bee Foods, LLC / Clover Leaf Seafoods)

·         Vice Chair, Mark Church (Princes, Ltd.)

The ISSA Board of Directors includes:

 

·         Chair, Christopher Lischewski – CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, LLC / Clover Leaf Seafoods

·         Vice Chair, Mark Church – Princes Ltd.

·         In-Soo Cho – StarKist Co.

·         Shue Wing Chan – Chicken of the Sea Intl./ Thai Union Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

·         Renato Curto – TriMarine International

·         Amornphan Aramwatananont – Sea Value Co. Ltd.

·         Ernesto Trovamala – Bolton Alimentari

·         Roberto Aguirre – NIRSA

·         Adolfo Valsecchi – MW Brands

·         Juan Alonso – Jealsa

·         Jorge Carregal – FRINSA

  

 

Under its principles of governance, ISSF will:

 

·         Work with RFMOs to achieve their objectives of conservation of tuna stocks and their ecosystems;

·         Employ sound science for maximum sustainable yields of targeted tuna stocks;

·         Strive to eliminate illegal, unregulated, and unreported tuna catching;

·         Provide for the health and care of the marine ecosystem;

·         Facilitate use of the precautionary approach;

·         Minimize by-catch, discards, and abandoned gear;

·         Collect and exchange data to promote better scientific understanding of tuna stocks;

·         Support certification programs that meet the 2005 eco-labeling guidelines of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

 

Filings

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ISSA has made available for download its annual Form 990 filing.  This document provides information on the filing organization's mission, programs, and finances. To download, click here.