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SBT being a migratory species means sustainability must be managed by a number of nations. Most Importantly Japan who is essentially the sole significant consumer of SBT. New Zealand is a signatory to CCSBT which is an arrangement between most countries fishing SBT to maintain and monitor an agreed total catch. New Zealand’s current allocation under CCSBT of 800 tonnes (7.6% of the global Southern Bluefin Tuna Quota) is managed strictly under NZ’s own quota management system. Every fish is carefully counted and recorded including those taken by whales. Almost all fish taken in NZ EEC are larger mature fish and consequently the number of fish caught to make up 800 tonnes is significantly less than those taken in the Australian fishery which has an allocation of 5000 tonnes.

Solander fishes by the surface long line method for Tuna species Fin and associated pelagic species in the Fiji EEZ, congruent EEZ’s and High Seas. All vessels supplying Solander are Fiji Flagged. As such these vessels operate under the licences and jurisdiction of the Fijian Ministry of Fisheries and Forests (FMFF).

Our fleet is predominately manned by Fijian crew and all vessels are based in and operate from the port of Suva.  The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in Noumea provides the logbooks and catch data requests to which Solander complies under direction of the FMFF. Fiji adheres to the recommend dations of WCPFC in relation to sustainability, ecologically related species (ERS) and catch reporting. The SPC undertake scientific and resource studies and provides input into the WCPFC scientific committee. Regional Total Allowable Catches (TAC’s) are derived from this information. The WCPFC consider that Albacore and Skipjack are currently fished at sustainable levels. Big Eye and Yellow Fin are under some pressure and subject to likely catch reduction. Fiji – being a responsible fishing nation – has pre-empted any likely reduction by limiting available Tuna licences in its EEZ to 70. Longline caught Albacore taken from the Fiji EEZ is currently in the final stages of MSC accreditation. Solander vessels have OPRT (Organisation for the Promotion of Respon-sible Tuna Fisheries) accreditation as responsible tuna fishers. OPRT is an international tuna monitoring organisation based in Tokyo. There is virtually no “non fish” bycatch within the Fiji EEZ. We use only circle hooks. The longline fishing method creates no damage to the seabed or benthic communities. Arguably it is the most environmentally sensitive of all commercial fishing activity. Solander prides itself in adhering to all relevant management regimes enacted in the interests of sustainable fishing, ERS and non fish by catch. Management and seagoing staff are acutely aware of environmental issues and our business is managed accordingly.

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Solander fishes by the surface long line method for Tuna species Fin and associated pelag-ic species in the Fiji EEZ, congruent EEZ’s and High Seas. All vessels supplying Solander are Fiji Flagged. As such these vessels operate under the licences and jurisdiction of the Fijian Ministry of Fisheries and Forests (FMFF). Our fleet is predominately manned by Fijian crew and all vessels are based in and operate from the port of Suva.

Fiji has a sophisticated fisheries research, management and monitoring system. Fiji is a signatory to the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) which was established by the Convention for the conservation and management of Highly Migratory fish stocks in the region. Fiji is signatory to UNCLOS and all relevant UN conventions on the management of fish stocks in the South Pacific.

Fiji is a member of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) in Honiara which agency monitors Solander vessels under its Vessel Monitoring Scheme (VMS). The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in Noumea provides the logbooks and catch data requests to which So-lander complies under direction of the FMFF.

Fiji adheres to the recommendations of WCPFC in relation to sustainability, ecologically related species (ERS) and catch reporting. The SPC undertake scientific and resource stud-ies and provides input into the WCPFC scientific committee. Regional Total Allowable Catches (TAC’s) are derived from this information. The WCPFC consider that Albacore and Skipjack are currently fished at sustainable levels. Big Eye and Yellow Fin are under some pressure and subject to likely catch reduction. Fiji – being a responsible fishing nation – has pre-empted any likely reduction by limiting available Tuna licences in its EEZ to 70.

Longline caught Albacore taken from the Fiji EEZ is currently in the final stages of MSC accreditation.

Solander vessels have OPRT (Organisation for the Promotion of Responsible Tuna Fisher-ies) accreditation as responsible tuna fishers. OPRT is an international tuna monitoring organisation based in Tokyo.

There is virtually no “non fish” bycatch within the Fiji EEZ. We use only circle hooks.

The longline fishing method creates no damage to the seabed or benthic communities. Arguably it is the most environmentally sensitive of all commercial fishing activity.

Solander prides itself in adhering to all relevant management regimes enacted in the inter-ests of sustainable fishing, ERS and non fish by catch. Management and seagoing staff are acutely aware of environmental issues and our business is managed accordingly.