Revealed: John West linked to destructive fishing device discovered in Indian Ocean

Publication date: 22nd April 2016

Indian Ocean, 21 April 2016 – Crew on the Greenpeace ship, the Esperanza, have discovered a harmful fish aggregating device (FAD) linked to UK tuna company John West – despite the company’s promise to phase out the use of the destructive fishing practice. ‘It’s grisly business-as-usual for John West,’ said Hélène Bourges, Oceans Campaigner at Greenpeace.

Fishing net

Greenpeace’s expedition in the Indian Ocean has revealed footage of near-threatened species including silky sharks under fishing gear deployed by the Talenduic – a French vessel which supplies John West. Sharks are commonly caught using this controversial fishing method (FADs alongside large purse seine nets) before being discarded as so-called “bycatch”. The device was removed and dismantled to avoid nets being set around it and causing harm to marine life.

Citizen research coordinated by Greenpeace has found cans of John West tuna in UK supermarkets which can be traced to the Talenduic using the company’s “can tracker” technology on its website.

Despite a commitment made in 2011 that 100% of its tuna would be caught using FAD-free and pole & line methods by the end of 2016, it was revealed in October 2015 that John West had reached a dismal 2%. With just months left to reach its target – John West does not seem to be implementing any substantial changes to its supply chains.

John West is owned by Thai Union, the world’s largest tuna producer, which also owns the French brand Petit Navire, also supplied by the Talenduic. Thai Union have repeatedly been found to use harmful and destructive fishing methods and have been linked to human rights abuses in their supply chain.

Hélène Bourges, Oceans Campaigner with Greenpeace UK, said:

“If it were not such a serious matter for the world’s oceans and marine life, John West’s progress on its sustainability commitment would be laughable.

“Now we find their supplier has been deploying destructive fishing practices which John West vowed to get rid of. So it seems like it’s grisly business-as-usual for John West.

FADs attract a large volume of marine life and, when large nets are set around them, all kinds of creatures can be hauled up, including sharks and even turtles. FADs are also causing overfishing through the catching of baby tuna, which compromises the ability of the stocks to reproduce at a sustainable level. The Esperanza is identifying and removing the devices on an expedition that is uncovering the destructive fishing practices of Thai Union and its suppliers.

“People want the tuna industry cleaned up. They want to know the tuna they eat has not been caught using methods that threaten and harm endangered marine wildlife,” Bourges said.

“The UK tuna market is moving towards 100% sustainable tuna. Yet John West stick out like a sore thumb. Their hollow promises have to stop and clear action has to be taken.”

END

Media Contact:

Luke Massey, Press & Communications Officer, Greenpeace UK, mobile: +44 (0)7973873155, lmassey@greenpeace.org

For pictures of the ship tour and the removal of the FAD:

http://photo.greenpeace.org/collection/27MZIFJ69BTN8

For video, see here:

http://photo.greenpeace.org/archive/WEB-video–silky-sharks-swim-below-a-FAD.-FAD-is-owned-by-a-supplier-of-John-West-(ENG)-27MZIFJ69YJQ2.html

For video without text, see here: http://photo.greenpeace.org/archive/WEB-video–silky-sharks-swim-below-a-FAD.-CLEAN-international-27MZIFJ69YXL7.html