New Markets Join the Tuna Transparency Pledge

Since its launch in April 2024, the Tuna Transparency Pledge has grown significantly to include major retailers, suppliers and food service companies across North America and Europe, as well as other key global tuna industry actors. The latest signatories of the Tuna Transparency Pledge include Carrefour, Aramark, Culimer USA, Lusamerica Foods, Pacific Island Tuna and the Association of Large Freezer Tuna Vessels (AGAC). Together, the signatories of the Tuna Transparency Pledge represent some of the largest retailers, suppliers and food service companies in the world.

Led by international NGO The Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Tuna Transparency Pledge is a global initiative aimed at addressing unsustainable and illegal fishing practices at sea. Through the Tuna Transparency Pledge, signatories aspire to advance 100% on-the-water monitoring across all industrial tuna fishing vessels within their supply chains or jurisdictions by 2027—taking a bold yet achievable step in transforming the health and sustainability of our oceans. The latest signatories join forces with the Pledge’s initial signatories: Walmart, Albertsons Companies, Thai Union, and the Governments of Belize and Federated States of Micronesia.

“Without transparency at sea, illegally and unsustainably caught fish will continue entering the supply chain undetected,” said Ben Gilmer, Large-Scale Fisheries Director for TNC. “On-the-water monitoring is ready to scale today and helps ensure that the seafood on our plates has been harvested in compliance with fishery laws and social standards. We applaud the new signatories of the Tuna Transparency Pledge for helping to build this critical market momentum to support ocean wildlife protection and a lasting seafood supply.”

Industrial fishing occurs on more than half of the ocean’s surface—more than three times the area covered by land-based agriculture. Three billion people worldwide rely on seafood as a significant source of protein. As demand for these products increases to meet the needs of nearly 10 billion people over the next 30 years, so too does the pressure placed on critical marine ecosystems and the species that depend on them. Already, 90% of global fisheries have reached their maximum sustainable levels. 

Tuna ranks as one of the most prized and popular fish in the world with five million tons of fish produced annually and a dockside value of $10 billion USD. One of the biggest obstacles to sustainably managing global tuna fisheries, protecting ocean wildlife, and delivering tuna products that inspire consumer confidence is the lack of on-the-water monitoring and data. Often, fisheries authorities and supply chain actors do not have the data needed to ensure that the vessels they source from are complying with fishing regulations and social standards.

Having eyes on the water allows seafood suppliers and retailers to have confidence that the tuna in their supply chain has been sourced legally and sustainably. Electronic monitoring—the use of onboard video cameras, GPS, and sensors to monitor and verify fishing activities—and human observers can strengthen transparency and provide critical data needed for the sustainable management of tuna and other ocean species. In addition, on-the-water monitoring helps create a level playing field for the many law-abiding fishers around the globe.

"Electronic monitoring presents an incredible opportunity to scale observer coverage and increase data collection and monitoring onboard tuna vessels,” said Katheryn Novak, Biodiversity & Nature Director of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership. “Longline tuna fisheries in particular interact with some of the most vulnerable species of marine wildlife, yet have the lowest levels of observer coverage and monitoring. Companies taking the Pledge and working with their supply chains to increase monitoring can help reduce bycatch of seabirds and sharks, and ensure compliance with regulations, social and labor safeguards, and corporate requirements and standards."

Many technological advances have enabled fishery managers to better understand what is happening at sea, but without independent monitoring on vessels to verify catch activity, it is difficult to identify when illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) activity is occurring within the first mile of the supply chain. Companies that are unable to verify compliance with environmental and social standards risk losing business, in addition to increasing operational and business risks throughout the supply chain.

Through the Tuna Transparency Pledge, TNC aims to unite key players across the seafood supply chain—including companies and governments—to help accelerate the adoption of on-the-water monitoring.

“The Global Tuna Alliance has made a clear commitment to transparency and best practices in industrial tuna fisheries,” said Daniel Suddaby, Executive Director of the Global Tuna Alliance. “Earlier this month, we launched our new five-year strategy, which outlines the outcomes for our partners committed to ensuring observer coverage reflects best practice—i.e. 100% observer coverage. Our partners recognize that this level of transparency is essential to safeguarding our oceans and ensuring responsible supply chains. We are proud of those first-mover partners who have already signed the Tuna Transparency Pledge, and we look forward to working with more as they commit to this vital initiative. We urge industry leaders worldwide to take action and demonstrate their dedication to a sustainable, traceable tuna industry.”

The Tuna Transparency Pledge was developed by TNC in consultancy with other leading NGOs, retailers, and seafood experts. TNC works in collaboration with signatories and their NGO partners to track progress and support their rollout and verification procedures.

Retailers, seafood suppliers, and governments can get involved in this initiative by signing onto the Tuna Transparency Pledge and demonstrating leadership towards the industry future of 100% on-the-water monitoring on all industrial tuna fishing vessels. Major retailers, food service, and hospitality sectors, together with tuna suppliers, processers and distributors, can use their purchasing power to drive innovation and transparency in their supply chains so that customers can confidently buy tuna products that were harvested sustainably and legally. By advocating for the adoption of robust on-the-water monitoring through the Tuna Transparency Pledge, industry leaders can help guarantee a long-term and sustainable seafood supply for the market.

The Nature Conservancy is seeking signatories from other major seafood buyers, seafood supply chain companies, and governments to help drive industry-wide transformation. Those interested in building this positive industry change should email tunapledge@tnc.org.

Comments from the latest signatories of the Tuna Transparency Pledge:

Carrefour: “Tuna plays an important role in our offer, as one of our most popular seafood products. However, tuna supply chains bear human risk and biodiversity challenges that we must address. To transform this market, we must together adopt sustainable practices toward this resource, which is today affected by overfishing. To this end, Carrefour joined last year The Global Tuna Alliance to strengthen the sustainability of its tuna supplies along its supply chain. Today, we want to go further in tuna preservation and are proud to be part of The Tuna Transparency Pledge, which enables us to lead global actions.”— Carine Kraus, Chief Impact Officer, Carrefour

Aramark: “Aramark is proud to be the first foodservice company to adopt the Tuna Transparency Pledge. The Pledge reinforces Aramark’s commitment to sustainable seafood and recognizes the important steps that need to be taken to improve data and transparency in tuna supply chains.” — Natily Santos, Vice President of Responsible Sourcing, Aramark

Culimer USA: “At Culimer USA, social responsibility is at the core of our mission. We are dedicated to ensuring that our seafood supply chains are not only transparent and sustainable but also uphold the rights and livelihoods of the people and communities they touch. By supporting initiatives like The Nature Conservancy’s Tuna Transparency Pledge, Culimer reinforces its commitment to advancing traceability, responsible sourcing, and equitable practices. Through collaboration and innovation, we aim to create a seafood industry that values both environmental stewardship and social responsibility, driving meaningful change for generations to come.” — Renee Perry, Vice President, CSR & ESG, Culimer USA

Lusamerica Foods: “It takes a movement to drive change, and Lusamerica is proud to join The Nature Conservancy and our fellow signatories in the Tuna Transparency Pledge. Increasing transparency on industrial tuna vessels will better equip scientists and fisheries managers while reducing risks for the hardworking fishermen at sea. If we want to sustain the industry we rely on, we must advocate for changes that protect the people, the fish, and the marine ecosystems they depend on.” — Peter Adame, Director of Communications & Sustainability, Lusamerica Foods

Pacific Island Tuna: “Pacific Island Tuna is proud to join the Tuna Transparency Pledge and work with our industry peers to bring greater transparency to the first mile of the tuna supply chain. This effort aligns with our mission to eliminate IUU fishing, reduce bycatch of at-risk species, improve fair labor practices, and support community-based conservation. Electronic monitoring systems combined with political will and increased funding for implementation is the key to solving illegal and unsustainable practices in the fishing industry—in Pacific Island nations’ waters and beyond.” — Gene Muller, General Manager, Pacific Island Tuna

Association of Large Freezer Tuna Vessels (AGAC): “The Tuna Transparency Pledge is welcome to upgrade observer coverage to scientific recommendations and to prevent many unreported catch taken by several gears. Tuna fisheries, mostly well managed by the cooperative efforts of countries through RFMOs, can significantly improve once we have all the participating fleets covered with the required observation on board, either human or electronic. AGAC has been leader in the voluntary application of onboard observers since 2015 to comply with our Code of Good Practices, verified since through human and electronic observers on board 100% of our fleet. We can lead by example and make that many unreported catch taken by other fleets are accountable. We hope that market action could help in promoting 100% observer coverage on all tuna fleets.” — Julio Morón, Managing Director, Association of Large Freezer Tuna Vessels (AGAC)

The Tuna Transparency Pledge is a global initiative led by The Nature Conservancy—with support from a variety of NGO, industry, and governmental collaborators—that aims to achieve 100% on-the-water monitoring (via electronic monitoring and/or human observers) across all industrial tuna fishing vessels. With a vision of a thriving global marine environment that provides stable and sustainable seafood supplies, the Tuna Transparency Pledge was created to guide and unite companies and governments to lay the foundation for a more resilient and transparent tuna supply chain. By signing the Pledge, signatories are aiming to achieve 100% on-the-water monitoring across all industrial tuna fishing vessels within their supply chains or jurisdictions by 2027—taking a bold yet achievable step in transforming the health and sustainability of our oceans.