14 Apr 2017

JOHN WEST AMONG AUSTRALIA’S MOST SUSTAINABLE TUNA SUPPLIERS

WWF-Australia welcomes news that John West Australia is ranked above other major tuna brands in Greenpeace Australia’s latest Canned Tuna Guide, re-affirming the company’s leadership in sustainable seafood sourcing.

The Greenpeace Canned Tuna Guide assesses brands on a range of factors including fishing methods, product labelling and human rights in the fishing industry.

This rating by Greenpeace is further testimony to the sustainability commitment of John West Australia (owned by parent company, Simplot), and the success of their partnership with WWF.

WWF-Australia Fisheries and Seafood Manager Jo-anne McCrea said “John West surpassed other major brands in the Greenpeace Canned Tuna Guide this year following major reforms of the company's entire supply chain. Almost 100% of John West canned tuna is now certified as sustainably sourced by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the world’s most credible and robust independent certification for wild caught seafood. When consumers see the MSC logo on John West’s canned tuna, they can be confident they are buying sustainably harvested seafood.”

John West announced their move to MSC certified skipjack tuna in early 2016, crowning a four-year partnership with WWF Australia to improve the sustainability of their seafood sourcing.

Jo-Anne McCrea says “John West's MSC certified tuna is harvested under the watchful eye of independent observers who can verify the tuna has been caught in a responsible way, without undermining fish stocks or harming other marine species such as sharks and turtles. MSC certification is a truly independent verification system, ensuring that tuna is harvested responsibly.”

John West Australia accounts for over 40% of the supply of canned tuna in Australia, most of which is sourced from the West Central Pacific Ocean.

Further Information:

WWF-Australia Senior Manager News and Public Affairs, Paula Kruger 0407 067 303 pkruger@wwf.org.au