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In 2010 U.S. Seafood Exports to Europe Must be Certified Legal November 12, 2009 Washington, DC - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Commission (EC) have signed an agreement to implement new rules that require wild capture fisheries products exported to the European Union (EU) to include a "Catch Certificate." "In areas outside US waters, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a serious problem and this effort to certify products coming from this country as IUU-free is just another example of NOAA's leadership in fisheries management," said National Fisheries Institute (NFI) President John Connelly. "With this effort NOAA embodies the saying lead by example." In a letter to exporters Timothy Hansen, Director of NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program, ensured that the documentation developed as part of this program will comply completely with the EC's IUU regulations and that, "every step has been taken to ensure that U.S. exports to the EU will not be disrupted." The new certification will apply to all U.S. exports to the EU as well as products exported to a third country for further processing that are ultimately exported to Europe. Hansen explained that cooperation with the EC on this issue is part of a broader effort to eliminate IUU fishing, "which contributes to overfishing and reduces the value of legally harvested fisheries products." As part of the certification process NOAA plans to audit a sample number of export companies to ensure their product is IUU-free. "Coordinating this type of certification program is no small chore. NOAA's work with its European counterparts shows a real commitment to doing the right thing," said Connelly. NOAA's Fisheries Service Seafood Inspection Program reports it will issue the catch document at the same time it issues the export health certificate also required by the EC. For more than 60 years, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and its members have provided American families with the variety of sustainable seafood essential to a healthy diet. For more information visit: www.AboutSeafood.com. ### Contact Information:  Gavin Gibbons (703) 752-8891 ggibbons@NFI.org

   It's not quite the 2004 forged document scandal that ended Dan Rather's storied career at CBS but it does highlight an important issue about sourcing that many in the media overlook.

 While organizations like Greenpeace spend their time attacking the seafood community for its supposed lack of sustainable practices, independent Government scientists have gone about their work assessing the actual sustainability story of American fish stocks and the verdict is in— “good news.”

Status of the Stocks Report Holds Good News for Seafood Community June 27, 2008 Washington – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today released its 2007 Status of U.S. Fisheries report and it contains “good news.” According to the report 7 stocks are no longer subject to overfishing, 4 stocks are no longer overfished and 3 stocks have fully rebuilt. Additionally, no stocks have been found newly subject to overfishing. Among those no longer subject to overfishing are yellowfin tuna – Central Western Pacific, bigeye tuna – Atlantic, and both the north and south stocks of monkfish. “It is heartening to see these kinds of successes,” said John Connelly, President of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI). “It shows not only the seafood community’s commitment to sustainability but the effectiveness of the fisheries management system run by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS.)” The report is published each year as part of a Congressional requirement under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. “The seafood community and the leadership at NOAA Fisheries continue to make sustainability their highest priority and this document is evidence that work and cooperation is paying dividends,” said Connelly. “What is really important to know about this report is that it confirms the vast amount of seafood Americans enjoy is sustainably managed.” For more than 60 years, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and its members have provided American families with the variety of sustainable seafood essential to a healthy diet. For more information visit: www.AboutSeafood.com.                                                                                                                           ### Contact Information:  Gavin Gibbons 703.752.8891 ggibbons@nfi.org

"60 Minutes" Takes on Sushi Tuna Nearly 4 months after the seafood industry joined the U.S. Congress, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and environmental groups in calling for a moratorium on bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean, CBS's 60 Minutes has profiled the problems associated with an industry that primarily feeds the Asian sushi market. The National Fisheries Institute’s Tuna Council, formerly known as the U.S. Tuna Foundation, sees the 60 Minutes expose as an opportunity to renew its calls for a multiyear moratorium on bluefin fishing in that region and the Eastern Atlantic. “60 Minutes has highlighted the fact that while the problem is confined to a specific region the effects can be global,” says Randi Parks Thomas, the Tuna Council’s Vice President of Sustainability. "This is a serious issue that needs prompt action, to ensure that over-fishing in these regions does not continue and to facilitate recovery of the bluefin tuna stock." In addition to her position with the Tuna Council, Ms. Thomas serves as U.S. Industry Commissioner to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), an inter-governmental regional fisheries management organization responsible for the conservation of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas. "It is important for consumers to understand that bluefin tuna is not used for commercial canned tuna," Thomas said. "Nonetheless, the Tuna Council and its parent organization, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), are strong supporters of efforts to sustain various species of fish and ensure effective fisheries conservation management measures. We believe that the current situation highlighted by 60 Minutes requires action to support and rebuild the bluefin tuna population in the affected areas." For more information, contact Randi Parks Thomas of NFI’s Tuna Council at (703) 752-8895 or via email at rthomas@nfi.org; or Gavin Gibbons at (703) 752-8891 or via email a ggibbons@nfi.org For more than 60 years, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) and its members have provided American families with the variety of sustainable seafood essential to a healthy diet. For more information visit: www.AboutSeafood.com. Contact Information:  Gavin Gibbons (703) 752-8891