Newsletter #3 – Spring 2015.pdf

In October 2014, 4 fishermen associations in the Maluku Handline Fishery became certified against the first Fair Trade Wild Capture Fisheries standard. The certification was the result of continuous work since August 2013 by Fishing & Living, MDPI, Anova USA, Fair Trade USA, and Maluku Handline fishermen to meet environmental and social criteria. Fishermen received the first Fair Trade premium check in December 2014, which must be spent on environmental improvements and community development. New fishermen associations from Buru, Ambon, and Seram Islands have joined the program, with 16 new associations formed since December 2014. The Handline Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) has made significant progress towards MSC certification, with the formation of the Handline and Pole & Line Association and new stricter fisheries regulations. Anova has become a FIP partner for the Vietnamese Handline and Longline Yellowfin tuna fishery, and has committed to supporting various FIP activities. Staff from the Ministry of Marine Resources of the Cook Islands were trained to conduct regular Longline crew trainings, and a new MSC pre-assessment has been commissioned for the Federated States of Micronesia longline fishery. Anova/Fishing & Living has joined regional industry coalitions to discuss opportunities for cooperation on regional level issues and advocate for improvement regional management measures. The program has won the SeaWeb Seafood Champion Award for Innovation for advancing sustainable fisheries by incorporating community development and the wellbeing of fishers in their work to achieve environmental goals.