Oceans

Oceans are essential to the sustainability of the planet. We must take care of them and manage them responsibly.

Most of our raw material comes from the oceans and it is our duty to contribute to sound resource management and biodiversity protection. That’s why we’ve come up with seven targets aimed at reducing our impact on the marine environment.

Our Commitments

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Sustainable tuna in our brands

We are committed to having 100% of the tuna loins in our products come from responsible and sustainable fishing. This means that the tuna employed must meet one or more of these conditions:

  • Be MSC (Marine Stewardship Council)-certified.
  • Come from a catch included in a robust FIP (Fishery Improvement Project) with an A or B rating as per https://fisheryprogress.org/
  • Have been caught without the use of FADs (Fish Aggregating Devices).
  • Have been caught by APR (Responsibly-Caught Tuna)-certified vessels.
  • Have been caught one by one, using selective methods such as the pole-and-line technique.
Progress 85.19%

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Of the fishery product being traceable back to the source

We are committed to enabling consumers to know the origin of the product to be consumed: species, fishing method used, ocean region where it was caught, when it was caught and by whom.
Progress
31.84%

Marine waste management

We aim to implement a variety of programs for improving the management of our waste at sea to provide solutions that contribute to the elimination of plastic in our seas.
Progress
0%

Managing a more responsible fleet

Our own fleet will also have objectives designed to reduce its impact on biodiversity and the environment.

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FAD-free fishing

The fishing method employed by our vessels is purse-seine fishing. FADs are commonly used to make fishing operations more efficient. However, we want to rebalance our impact on the environment by increasing the number of catches made without the use of these devices.
Progress
41.6%

300

Active FADs per vessel

To reduce the impact of FADs on the environment, we want to limit ourselves to a per-vessel active FAD number of 300. The current legal limit is set at 450 per ship.
Progress
100%

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Non-entangling FADs

We are committed to ensuring that all FADs used by the Grupo Calvo fleet are non-entangling to prevent non-target species from being trapped in them.
Progress
41.6%

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Biodegradable FADs

We want to ensure that all FADs used by the Grupo Calvo fleet are biodegradable, thereby preventing them from having an impact on the marine ecosystem in the event of stranding or drifting.
Progress
4.16%

Projects

Food traceability is the means to finding and tracking a foodstuff, through all stages of production, transformation and distribution. For us, it is also an essential element of the quality and added value of our products, and therefore is part of the commitment undertaken by the company with respect to responsible management and consumer information.

Traceability and information system

As a product of this commitment, in 2017 Nauterra developed and implemented a food traceability system that allows any consumer to know the path the tuna has taken to reach their table, providing complete and transparent information about its preparation process. This system, certified under the AENOR ISO 22005 Traceability Standard, expands and completes the information already included in the packaging and labeling of our products by specifying the tuna species, the fishing method employed and the fishing zone.

The user only has to provide the batch, time and production line codes that are printed on each can of tuna to receive via email a detailed report with more information on the type of tuna contained in the product, the vessel that caught it, where and when it was caught, by means of which fishing method, in which port in landed, and in which Nauterra factory it was processed.

The traceability system is currently available for tuna products of the Calvo and Nostromo brands manufactured at the group’s plant in Carballo (Spain) and is easily accessible through the websites for each brand (Calvo Traceability; Nostromo Traceability). The rest of the products in our portfolio will be progressively integrated into this food traceability system.

The associated 2025 objective is for 100% of the products we prepare in our range of plants to be 100% traceable from origin to final product.

We work to ensure the sustainability of fishery resources by minimizing our impact on the environment and marine biodiversity and respecting the rights and working conditions of our crews. The following are the fishing practices that all our vessels comply with and which we demand from our suppliers.

Fleet limitation

Commitment to refrain from increasing the fleet’s catch capacity through the acquisition of new ships without decommissioning another vessel.

Independent observer presence

Presence of independent scientific observers on all vessels to verify compliance with best fishing practices.

Ban on discarding

Prohibition of tuna discarding at sea to prevent optimization of on-board fishing capacity by keeping the best catches.

Respect for crew member rights

Guarantee of decent working conditions for all crew members in accordance with ILO Convention 188 on Work in Fishing

Training in fishing practices

Continuous training in regulations and good fishing practices for crew members.

Prohibition of intentional harm

Total ban on shark finning (mutilation of fins for marketing) and on intentional damage to any other non-target species.

Comprehensive health control of catches

Implementation of all the necessary health and safety measures to maintain the standards of quality and safety in the storage and handling of catches.

No transshipments on the high seas

Prohibition of transshipments at sea to prevent illegal fishing and slave labor practices. Ships must perform transshipments at ports and in controlled waters to declare their catches.

Use of non-entangling aggregating devices

Commitment to use of non-entangling Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) to avoid impact on non-target species.

Reduction of incidental catches

Commitment to returning non-target species to the sea and to reducing bycatch to minimize the impact of fishing operations on biodiversity.

Recording of data on fishing activity

Identification of catches and continuous logging of fishing-related data.

Continuous satellite monitoring

Geo-localization of ships via satellite (Vessel Monitoring System) to make their position known to authorities at all times.

Good Fishing Practices

Official document of good fishing practices signed by the Spanish purse seiners.

FAD Management

Official document of FAD Management of Calvo Group

Non-entangling FADs

Good practices in transactions with vessels that use only non-entangling FADs

Antishark finning policy

Best practices for antishark finning policy

Responsibly-Caught Tuna Certification

All of Nauterra tuna fishing vessels are certified under the AENOR “Responsibly-Caught Tuna” standard, UNE 195006, which substantiates that the fishing operations of our fleet are conducted in a socially and environmentally responsible manner.

Through audits, AENOR regularly verifies that Nauterra applies the best standards for purse-seine tuna fishing, from both the environmental standpoint as well as the social and labor-related point of view. This includes, but is not limited to, initiatives such as independent observers aboard all company ships; fleet tracking and monitoring via satellite; certification of catches; and compliance with the working, health and safety conditions for workers, as provided for under the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention for the fishing sector.

All products manufactured and marketed by Nauterra are currently 100% nutritious and healthy. They are rich in protein, vitamins and omega 3, and contain no preservatives. Our commitment is that our product range in 2025 will continue to fulfill current nutrition and health parameters.

The UNE 195006 Standard was developed by the Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification (AENOR) in collaboration with OPAGAC and Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and the Environment (MAPAMA). It is the first standard to ensure compliance with best fishing practices for freezer seiners in the three-pronged socioeconomic, control and environmental dimension.

As part of our initiatives to protect fishery resources, since 2016 Nauterra is a participant in three Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) for the three species of tuna we use in preparing our canned products (skipjack, yellowfin and bigeye). One project is being carried out in the Atlantic Ocean and two are taking place in the Pacific Ocean.

Led by the association of major tuna freezers (OPAGAC), of which Nauterra is a member, and the environmental NGO WWF, these projects are components of the most comprehensive tuna fishery improvement initiative worldwide, as it addresses the management of the three species of tropical tuna at the same time under the three principles of MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification:

  • Sustainability of tuna stocks
  • Minimizing environmental impact
  • Effective management of fishing activity

The aim of these projects is to obtain MSC certification for the fisheries. Currently all three projects have the highest rating, A (Advanced Progress), from the independent Fishery Project, which assesses the degree of progress and fulfillment of FIP objectives worldwide.

People

Environment