Natalie Webster Bio Director of Operations

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2 Natalie Webster Bio Director of Operations Grandfather immigrated from Portugal in the early 1900 s Settling in San Diego, California, San Diego was Tuna Capital of the World Originally, tuna was a pole & line fishery & an artisanal fishery, withstanding time and modernization Purse seining evolved and expanded the tuna fishery San Diego s Portuguese and Italia communities were integral to the fishery. My father, Manuel Cintas, emigrated from Spain and was recruited into tuna fishing by my grandfather He built the largest tuna seiner of its time, the Apollo, and harvested tuna around the world. Eventually, dolphin-safe issues and labor costs pushed the American tuna fleet to foreign flags and distant countries. San Diego s fishing community struggled with these hardships. Over time, the fishery s strength and San Diego s reputation as Tuna Capital of the World faded. My father left tuna fishing in the early 1980 s.

3 American Pole & Line Albacore Fishery Struggles The pole & troll albacore fishery struggled to survive The aging fleet faced a bleak and uncertain future Vessels left the dock without knowing what they might get paid upon their return Fishermen watched as their premium West Coast Albacore was sold as mere commodity These beautiful, quality, albacore were shipped overseas and canned for low-value markets My father told my husband, You are in a dying fishery! There was no next generation of fishermen to continue the tradition My father s words planted a seed of inspiration That seed has grown to become the American Albacore Fishing Association

4 American Albacore Fishing Association, Est Founded by 7 American fishing families, generations of pole & troll fishermen To create stability and a better future, by educating consumers, & sharing our story AAFA fishermen symbolize the tradition and future of the pole & troll albacore fishery AAFA pole & troll fishermen are Stewards of the Sea, Knowledgeable of the ocean and its bounty, proud of their fishery and its selective harvest The Marine Stewardship Council certifies select fisheries to recognize and reward sustainable fisheries through market-based incentives AAFA believed that the MSC eco-label could help AAFA tell the fishermen s story Overcoming many obstacles and much resistance, the U.S. pole & troll albacore fishery became the first MSC certified sustainable tuna fishery in the world in AAFA is responsible for recognizing eligible vessels and verifying AAFA quality albacore AAFA facilitates the sale of all albacore tuna harvested by it s members

5 AAFA Continued END RESULT: AAFA customers buy directly from the fishermen; traceable & audited AAFA actively pursues and develops new markets around the world Providing fishermen with the stability that is essential to the future of this fishery Buyers and markets share AAFA s vision Fishermen understand the benefit of AAFA quality and the MSC eco-label More AAFA quality, MSC certified sustainable albacore products to more markets U.S. pole & troll fishermen proudly deliver AAFA high quality albacore AAFA provides the reliability, consistency, and traceability needed for success Sustainable fisheries require market-based incentives AAFA vessels land over 50% of the albacore fishery harvest and over 90% of that catch is delivered to MSC Markets. A New Life For An Old Fishery

6 People always remark: I can t believe they are catching them one at a time! AAFA is focused on developing markets and building its reputation as the source for the world s best quality, sustainable albacore. Always striving to improve quality. AAFA hosts Albacore Quality Forum. Experts on albacore quality, handling and refrigeration Presentations on techniques, equipment and methods to ensure reliable delivery of consistently high quality albacore. AAFA vessels use a variety of refrigeration systems: Brine frozen (RSW refrigerated sea water), Blast frozen, Iced AAFA has renewed interest in this artisanal fishery. Young fishermen now want to continue the tradition.

7 AAFA Albacore = More than just MSC Certified MSC certification is a part of AAFA s marketing program, but AAFA goes even further. The Marine Stewardship Council may issue duplicate and/or repetitive albacore certification. Even so, other albacore cannot match AAFA quality and service. AAFA has earned a reputation for excellence and reliability. The fishermen of AAFA accept this responsibility with pride. AAFA s Chain of Custody (CoC) program Ensures traceability and assurance through the supply chain. AAFA s innovative and advanced CoC program provides credibility, reduced risk of fraud, and adds confidence and value to the market. Traceability assures AAFA quality and harvest by certified AAFA pole & troll albacore vessels.

8 American Albacore Fishing Association Pacific Albacore Tuna North & South MSC Certified Sustainable on August 23rd 2007 Species: Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) Location: Pacific Ocean Fishing Methods: Pole-and-Line and troll-and-jig Vessels: U.S. Pole & Troll Vessels Verified by the American Albacore Fishing Association (AAFA) Number of Fisheries: 2

9 AAFA s Sustainability Strengths Principle 1 - The state of the fish stock: Albacore naturally segregate by size, which makes it easier for fishers to avoid catching young fish. There are good systems in place for recording and verifying catches. Principle 2 - The impact of the fishery on the marine environment: Both pole-and-line and troll/jig fishing methods catch the target species almost exclusively. By-catch of nontarget species is relatively rare. This is especially true for pole-and-line fishing, where the fisher has visual contact with individual fish being caught. Principle 3 - The fishery management systems: Management objectives aim to identify and reduce the impact of the fishery and to protect populations of target and not-target species, essential marine habitat, and ecosystems.

10 AAFA Buyers AAFA has established relationships with buyers around the world, bringing together harvesters and processors. AAFA Goals Continue to increase brand recognition of Pole and Line raw materials and products derived from Pole & Line Fisheries Promote social responsibility and economic reward for Pole and Line coastal communities, families and fisheries. Pole and Line becomes the tuna of choice for retailers, consumers around the world. Assist in development of Pole and Line fisheries wherever possible around the world. Unite Pole and Line fisheries to cooperate in marketing, promotion, and fishery management.

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14 An international charity working across science, policy and the seafood sector. We use the influence of the market to develop and demonstrate the value of pole and line caught tuna to thriving coastal fisheries, and the people and seas they connect.

15 The End - Thank You!