Procordia (former Abba Seafood) and the Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships Foundation are starting a next phase of their joint project on Sustainable Tonggol tuna fishery in South East Asia. The development cooperation section at the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok provides a matching grant of 1,7 million SEK to the project that leverages resources from Procordia and other private sector partners through a so called Sida Public Private Development Partnership. The tuna industry provides important livelihoods in the region but also presents significant human rights and marine ecosystems challenges. Sustainable fisheries management requires regional collaboration between multiple private and public partners as the fish and workers naturally move across borders in the waters of Southeast Asia. The purpose is to drive development of a regional mechanism for fishery management that safeguards the long term sustainability of the specific tuna species that Procordia is purchasing.

The project includes tracking of fish stocks and improving livelihoods for workers in the processing and fishery sector through capacity building in the tuna industry and among authorities in the region. Increased certainty in the sector is expected to attract the right investors to the fishery and improve efficiency, profitability, returns to fishers and better working conditions.

The Swedish contribution is expected to catalyze and leverage private sector resources in order to drive change towards sustainability in the fishing industry in Southeast Asia. By reinforcing Procordia's commitment to improve local and regional management and regulatory mechanisms for ensuring the long term sustainability of the tonggol tuna - the partnership represent a good example of when development cooperation's and business' interest and overlap and where collaboration is relevant.

Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships Foundation is the implementing and agreement for the three year project driven by a multi-stakeholder group including representatives from Procordia's suppliers in Thailand, tuna canneries, representatives from local fishermen's groups, the Thai Department of Fisheries, and ASEAN's fisheries body SEAFDEC. The group will be extended by representatives from ILO, and organizations working in the area of migrant workers' rights and trafficking. 

Links:
Public Private Development Partnership

The Tonggol Tuna - a Partnership for Sustainable Fishery

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