March 28, 2023: The U.S. Embassy in Mauritius was pleased to partner with the Sustainable Tuna Association (STA) to organize a one-day regional conference titled “Tuna in the Indian Ocean: Towards a Sustainable Future.” The U.S. Embassy invited Susan Jackson, President of the Virginia (United States)-based International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) as a speaker and panel moderator at the conference.
In his opening remarks at the conference, U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Satrajit Sardar noted that the U.S. Embassy works closely with the Government of Mauritius, civil society organizations, and industry associations to protect marine biodiversity, promote sustainable fisheries practices and deter illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. “The United States, as both a major consumer and major producer of seafood, has a particularly strong stake in promoting sustainability and combatting IUU fishing. The Department of State coordinates closely with other federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) and the U.S. Coast Guard, as well as with international partners, to help protect our oceans.”
During the conference, Ms. Jackson discussed sustainable fishing practices in the Indian Ocean and moderated a panel on achieving sustainability with speakers from Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, Madagascar, Kenya, Oman, Japan, and the European Union.
The ISSF is a global coalition of acclaimed scientists, seafood industry leaders, and environmental advocates who undertake and facilitate science-based initiatives to continuously improve the sustainability of global tuna fisheries and the health of the ecosystems that support them.
The STA is a private sector led group initiative that represents the companies of the Ireland Blyth Limited Group (IBL) and their interests in the value chain and sustainability of Indian Ocean tuna stocks. The association promotes environmental, social, and economic sustainability at the local, regional and international levels. The STA also protects employees in the seafood processing sector.
Ms. Jackson’s participation in this initiative was made possible by the Office of the Speaker Program and the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
