World’s largest fishing companies support ocean protection
Nine of the largest fishing companies in the world, with a combined annual revenue of $30bn, will pledge to prevent overfishing, combat the use of slave labour and protect seas at the United Nations’ Ocean Conference. The Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship (SeaBOS), which includes the two largest seafood companies by revenue, Maruha Nichiro and Nippon Suisan Kaisha, as well at Thai Union, Dongwon Industries, Nutreco, Cargill Aqua Nutrition, Marine Havest and Cermaq, will be launched on Friday. SeaBOS marks the first time that companies from Asia, Europe and the US have joined forces to combat unsustainable marine practices. 
Eight of the world’s largest seafood companies have issued a ten-point statement committing to action on ocean stewardship following the first “keystone dialogue” between scientists and business leaders.

The companies commit to improving transparency and traceability and reducing illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in their supply chains. Antibiotic use in aquaculture, greenhouse gas emissions and plastic pollution will also be prioritized. The seafood businesses commit to eliminating any products in their supply chains that may have been obtained through “modern slavery including forced, bonded and child labour”.

A new global initiative

The statement says signatories “represent a global force, not only in the operation of the seafood industry, but also in contributing to a resilient planet.”

It was signed by the two largest companies by revenues (Maruha Nichiro Corporation and Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd), the two largest tuna companies (Thai Union Group PCL and Dongwon Industries), the two largest salmon farmers (Marine Harvest ASA and Cermaq – subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation) and the two largest aquafeeds companies (Skretting – subsidiary of Nutreco, and Cargill Aqua Nutrition).

The announcement is part of a new initiative - the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship – that, for the first time, connects wild capture fisheries to aquaculture businesses, connects European and North American companies to Asian companies and connects the global seafood business to science. The initiative is the conclusion of the Soneva Dialogue, a unique meeting between CEOs, senior leadership of major seafood companies, and leading scientists.

The dialogue, initiated by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, took place 11-13 November at the Soneva Fushi Resort on the Maldives under the patronage of HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden – Advocate for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The dialogue was a Stockholm Resilience Centre event supported by Forum for the Future and the Soneva Foundation. The Walton Family Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation funded the dialogue.