The Town Dock Joins IUU Working Group
The Town Dock has combined efforts with other US-based squid producers and suppliers to help reduce and eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide. The group of US-based companies are working with European, Canadian, and Australian companies to create an IUU Working Group, administered by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP).
“Given the latest news about the increase in risks associated with IUU fishing, as well as human rights violations and labor abuses in global squid supply chains, we need to act urgently to tackle and eradicate these problems,” said Carmen Gonzalez-Valles, SFP’s markets engagement director for Europe. “This industry-led working group is a step forward that we hope will lay the foundations for future actions around the world.”
The Town Dock has take up other initiatives in the past several years to support and build sustainable, traceable fishing practices. Their support was instrumental in seeing the first two squid species - Doryteuthis pealeii and Illex illecebrosus - certified sustainable through to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). (These are offered through our Rhode Island Calamari® and Premium Domestic Calamari lines.) Last year, they joined the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable to focus on international squid fisheries and support improvement in regulation, oversight, fishing practices, and human rights.
In addition to the wider IUU initiative, The Town Dock and the Global Squid Roundtable continue Fishery In Progress (FIP) work on the South Pacific Jumbo Squid, caught off the coast of Peru.
Read the SFP's full press release here.
Read coverage in National Fisherman
Read coverage in Seafood Source
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About The Town Dock
For more than 40 years, The Town Dock has focused on offering both the highest quality wild-caught calamari and the very best service. A market leader in foodservice calamari with a growing retail presence, we are a vertically integrated seafood company located on the water in Point Judith, Rhode Island. We partner with a dedicated fleet of fishing vessels, local fishermen, and global suppliers, and provide the calamari expertise that guides our customers in making the best decisions for their unique businesses. www.towndock.com
About Sustainable Fisheries Partnership
Founded in 2006, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP) is a marine conservation organization working toward a world where the oceans are healthy, all seafood is produced sustainably, and everyone has access to sustainable seafood. We leverage the power of seafood buyers and retailers in every part of the seafood supply chain to rebuild depleted fish stocks, reduce the environmental impacts of fishing and fish farming, address social issues in fishing, and advance economic opportunities for fishers and their communities. Our Supply Chain Roundtables (SRs) allow seafood suppliers to work together in a pre-competitive environment to promote and support improvements in fishery and aquaculture practices, management, and policy. Visit us at www.sustainablefish.org