Seoul, Republic of Korea — The Korean Roundtable for Sustainable Tuna Fishing has become an important forum for collaboration across Korea's tuna sector. Co-organized by Ocean Outcomes and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Korea, it provides a space for certified fisheries, government agencies, and technical experts to address shared MSC certification challenges, exchange knowledge, coordinate advocacy, and advance practical solutions that strengthen fisheries governance and long-term sustainability.

Last month, participants joined the ninth meeting of the Roundtable to discuss MSC Certification conditions, advocate for stronger fisheries management, and discuss Electronic Monitoring (EM) as several companies prepare for their upcoming five-year MSC certification reassessments.

Attendees included representatives from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS), the Korea Overseas Fisheries Association, and MSC-certified tuna companies including Daehae Fisheries, Dongwon Industries, Dongwon Fisheries, Sajo Industries, Silla Co., and Hansung Enterprise.

Progress on MSC Certification Conditions

The meeting highlighted meaningful progress made by Roundtable member companies in addressing several key MSC certification Performance Indicators (PI), particularly those related to ecosystem impacts and fisheries governance.

One area of significant advancement was Primary Species Management (PI 2.1.2). Many participating companies have transitioned toward using bait sourced from more sustainably managed stocks, enabling several fisheries to successfully close this certification condition.

Additional improvements were reported under Compliance and Enforcement (PI 3.2.3). Following observer shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, most Roundtable fisheries have now closed this condition through strengthened monitoring systems, improved oversight, and implementation of Korea's Distant Water Fisheries Development Act.

While substantial progress has been made, participants also discussed the remaining work needed to address certification conditions related to endangered, threatened, and protected (ETP) species, bycatch mitigation, and monitoring. Roundtable companies reaffirmed their commitment to continue working collaboratively to develop practical solutions and support one another through upcoming surveillance audits and reassessments.

MSC Korea also provided an update on Version 3.0 Section SE assessments for Western and Central Pacific bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna, and South Pacific albacore. Participants welcomed the news that all three stocks have returned to target status, representing an encouraging development for certified fisheries operating throughout the region.

A Critical Period for Korea's Tuna Fisheries

The discussions come at an important time for Korea's tuna industry.

Several Roundtable member companies are preparing to enter their next five-year MSC certification cycle beginning as early as next year, making continued progress on remaining certification conditions especially important.

The Roundtable provides a platform for companies to coordinate responses to shared audit challenges, exchange technical knowledge, and engage government partners on issues that affect the long-term success of certified fisheries.

"The Korean Tuna Roundtable has become an important platform for supporting the sustainability of Korea's tuna fisheries,” said Minje Choi, Fisheries & Commercial Manager of MSC Korea. “Through the Roundtable, fisheries can share the challenges they face and work together to address shared sustainability challenges. In particular, by bringing together government, scientists, industry, and NGOs to collaborate on issues that are difficult for individual fisheries to solve alone, the Roundtable supports continuous improvement and helps strengthen the long-term sustainability of Korea's tuna fisheries.”

Industry Calls for Timely Harvest Strategy Decisions

Roundtable members also reviewed and endorsed a joint position statement submitted to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) Scientific Committee. The letter urges the Commission to finalize and advance harvest strategies and management procedures for key tuna stocks, providing the certainty needed for responsible fisheries management and continued MSC certification.

Specifically, the fisheries called on the Scientific Committee (SC) to finalize management procedures for Western and Central Pacific bigeye and yellowfin tuna, reach consensus on bigeye target reference points, ensure the South Pacific albacore management procedure becomes fully operational this year, and establish a contingency timeline for any outstanding scientific work that cannot be completed during SC22.

The position reflects growing concern that continued delays in harvest strategy adoption could create unnecessary uncertainty for certified fisheries, despite current stock assessments showing strong performance against existing conservation benchmarks.

“We commend the WCPFC member states for their leadership in adopting harvest strategies for Skipjack and North and South Pacific albacore,” said Doohyun Park, O2 Korea Fisheries Senior Manager. “However, as we approach this year’s critical commission meetings—beginning with the upcoming SC meeting in August—the Korean tuna industry expects the same level of political will to be directed toward expediting the long-overdue harvest strategies for Yellowfin and Bigeye tunas. Given their profound environmental and commercial significance to our industry, the commissions must uphold their commitments without delay to secure a sustainable future for our fisheries.”

Preparing Fisheries for Electronic Monitoring

Recognizing the increasing role of EM in fisheries certification and management, Roundtable companies also expressed their shared interest in aligning future EM implementation with MSC Fisheries Standard requirements.

To support this work, Ocean Outcomes will provide technical guidance and practical support to help companies prepare for evolving certification expectations while strengthening transparency and fisheries monitoring.

Strengthening Collaboration for Long-Term Sustainability

Now in its ninth meeting, the Korean Roundtable for Sustainable Tuna Fishing continues to demonstrate the value of collaboration between industry, government, certification bodies, and technical partners.

By working collectively to address shared challenges, Korean tuna companies are helping strengthen fisheries governance, improve certification performance, and position the sector to meet evolving environmental and market expectations.