Twenty-two tuna fisheries in the Western Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) are facing suspension of their Marine Stewardship Council’s sustainable fishing certification in light of their failure to implement controls on harvests and stock management.

The fisheries were certified with a time-bound requirement that fishing nations agree on measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the stocks.

This agreement has yet to materialize, said the MSC. Failure to reach the required agreement could mean the fisheries’ MSC certification would be suspended in June 2023.