How do dolphin-safe nets work?
In order for tuna to qualify as “dolphin-safe” in the United States, U.S. regulations require a written statement from the captain of the vessel, in most fisheries worldwide, certifying that no purse seine net or other fishing gear was intentionally deployed on or used to encircle dolphins during the fishing trip in …
How is dolphin friendly tuna caught?
For reasons still not fully understood, yellowfin tuna often hangout below dolphin pods in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. By encircling the dolphins with massive purse seine fishing nets, a fishing vessel is likely to catch a bounty of tuna – and kill a lot of dolphins.
Is dolphin-safe tuna actually dolphin-safe?
Is all canned tuna legally sold in the United States dolphin-safe? No. While the vast majority of the canned tuna sold in the United States has been certified as dolphin-safe, federal regulations allow U.S. processors and importers to purchase and sell non-dolphin-safe tuna.
What does the dolphin-safe label on cans of tuna mean?
According to the company, the label assures that no dolphins were chased or netted while fishing for the tuna, that the boats try to fish for tuna only when no dolphins are present, and that when dolphins accidentally end up in nets, they are released.
Is pole and line caught tuna dolphin-safe?
But there’s no method that uses nets that can honestly claim (as the label does in the States) it is utterly “dolphin safe”. Line and pole is the only truly safe label – and the only one that doesn’t result in wasteful by-catch.
Are tuna caught in nets?
Purse Seines Another fishing method involves the use of a purse seine, which is the primary net used for catching tuna and is also used for a variety of other fish species. This method has aroused public outrage because dolphins are sometimes caught in the nets.
Is line caught tuna dolphin-safe?
Is the dolphin safe label reliable?
Dolphin Safe labels have legal status in the U.S. under the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act, which is a part of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act, but the standards are adhered to by tuna companies around the world on a voluntary basis, managed by the Earth Island Institute.
Is John West Tuna really dolphin-safe?
Standards for dolphin safe practices were developed by the Earth Island Institute in the early 1970s. In order for products to bear the ‘Dolphin Friendly’ symbol, tuna fishing vessels must be certified by the institute. All of our tuna products are ‘Dolphin Friendly’.
Why is line caught tuna better?
Even healthy tuna stocks can be fished in such a way that lots of other animals – such as dolphins, sharks, seabirds and turtles – get killed in the process. Dragging a short line through the water means it can be aimed carefully, and checked more often, so it is better at catching tuna only.
Is it legal to eat a dolphin?
Isn’t it illegal to capture dolphins from the wild in the United States? No. There is a widespread belief that it is illegal to capture wild dolphins in the U.S. However, even though no permits have been granted for captures since 1989, it is still legal to capture dolphins.
Are tuna nets safe for Dolphins?
Dolphins still might be caught in tuna nets, but must not be injured for the tuna to be considered dolphin safe. Dolphins are often caught up in the nets used for tuna because of the way in which tuna is harvested.
How can we save dolphins from the tuna industry?
Requiring dolphin-safe fishing practices for tuna sold in the U.S. has greatly reduced the impact of the tuna industry on dolphins. The population of dolphins associated with tuna fishing has stabilized, although they have yet to rebound to their former numbers.
How many dolphins have been killed by tuna nets?
Millions of dolphins have drowned in tuna nets as a result of indiscriminate tuna fishing practices that intentionally chase and capture dolphins in purse-seine nets in order to catch tuna that swim amongst them. Thankfully the intentional chasing and capture of dolphins is now outlawed by both US and international regulatory authorities.
What happens to Dolphins when tuna is fished?
When purse-seine nets are set around schools of tuna, dolphin calves may be separated from their mothers and they may be unable to locate each other when released. Dolphins are not the only marine animals that are killed in tuna fishing. The practices deemed dolphin-safe include using fish aggregation devices such as tethered rafts or logs.