MAY 29, 2020
PROGRESS ON TARGET 75
SFP’s CEO Jim Cannon recently gave an update on the successes and challenges of our Target 75 initiative, which aims to ensure that 75 percent of world production in 12 key seafood sectors is either sustainable or making regular, verified improvements toward sustainability. This work is largely carried out by the Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs), whose participants meet regularly to collaborate on starting new FIPs and AIPs, and monitoring the progress of existing improvement projects.
Many new FIPs were added in 2019, with squid, octopus, snapper and grouper, and shelf-stable tuna fisheries leading the way. The squid, octopus, and snapper and grouper SRs have very active participants, and many SFP partners have been focused on improving shelf-stable tuna fisheries this past year, so that it why these sectors led the pack. Whitefish and coldwater crab, two sectors that were early leaders in advancing sustainability, have since fallen behind, with some MSC certifications suspended and several FIPs stalled. These sectors have not had active SRs, indicating that more sector-wide industry leadership and coordination is needed.
A key challenge to achieving T75 has been slow progress in engaging markets in Asia, which is vital to achieving T75 for many sectors. Another emerging challenge is that FIPs and AIPs have not consistently solved tough issues. For FIPs, those issues include protecting endangered species, improving small-scale fisheries, and improving national government fisheries policies and management. For AIPs, the main challenges are improving government aquaculture policies and management, and reaching critical producers in Asia.
Cannon also thanked SFP’s partners and SR participants for their commitment to meeting the goals of T75, and noted that industry involvement is vital as we move forward, citing the importance of building industry capacity on tough issues, increasing industry leadership and collaboration in SRs, and increasing industry leadership of T75 overall. The end of 2020 will mark the transition to Phase 2 of T75, and we will be actively seeking your input over the coming months on developing the next set of goals.
