The MSC is an international non-profit organisation which sets globally recognised standards for sustainable fishing and the seafood supply chain. In November 2024, the CAPSEN and Grand Bleu fishery harvesting Atlantic tuna off Senegal became the first fishery in western Africa to achieve MSC certification. This was contained in a statement issued by the MSC, available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA). 

It stated that the MSC assessments by the Control Union (UK) Limited followed a rigorous, independent process that examined the fisheries’ ecosystem impacts, stock health and management measures.

“GTA’s certification shows what is possible when a group of fishers opt to be guided by science and international best practice.” It added that “The fleets operate in the Atlantic High Seas and the EEZs of Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Liberia. Fishers target skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and land their catches at the ports of Accra and Tema, Ghana’s trade gateway.” 

The MSC noted that both fisheries have a comprehensive management plan for the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs), adopting guidelines and conservation measures set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

 It added that the industry has also invested heavily in skipper and fisher training, endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) strategy development, and improved data collection and monitoring to verify responsible fishing operations. 

It added that Mr Michael Marriott, MSC’s Program Director for Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, explained that MSC certification is about more than just a label demanded by seafood buyers and consumers around the world, as it is a way to recognise those fishers who are committed to improving their environmental practices. 

Mr Frank Aihoon, the President of the GTA, on his part, said the achievement was a proud moment for the Ghanaian tuna industry and a significant milestone for the country’s seafood sector. 

Mr Aihoon added that achieving MSC certification would not have been possible without the dedication and support of the association’s members, industry stakeholders, improvement project partners, and management authorities. He indicated that by meeting this internationally recognised benchmark, they were demonstrating their strong commitment to sustainability, the continued development of the Ghana tuna industry, and their responsibility to help leave a healthier ocean for future generations.