Walmart, Albertsons sign Tuna Transparency Pledge

The goal of The Nature Conservancy’s Tuna Transparency Pledge is to have on-the-water monitoring across all industrial tuna fishing vessels by 2027.

Walmart and Albertsons were the first of five to sign on to the pledge as The Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit, tries to get more retailers, seafood supply chain organizations, and governments to commit.

On-the-water monitoring helps ensure that the seafood on shelves has been harvested in compliance with fishery laws, while also providing critical data needed for the sustainable management of tuna and other wildlife.

The pledge also requires vessels to register for the Vessels in Other Sustainability Initiatives list, which is hosted by the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, or an equivalent tracking and verification tool.

According to The Nature Conservancy, two-thirds of the global fisheries are either overfished or cannot sustain further pressure, and each year tuna fisheries produce 5 million tons of fish, with a dockside value of $10 billion.

“Retailers, seafood suppliers, and fishery managers are in a powerful position to influence and improve the tuna supply chain,” The Nature Conservancy said. “The pledge protects the long-term viability of fisheries, valuable supply chains, and coastal communities.”