The PSO program
(Permanent Single Observer)
In the field of sustainable fishing, CFTO is committed to this long-term program, which could also mean mutual trust and data collection.
Orthongel, our professional organization (PO), launched the first regional observer program in 2013 with the countries bordering our fishing grounds. This program enables us to achieve 100% coverage in terms of monitoring.
This international observer program is funded by the CFTO.
It guarantees the presence of qualified observers on board our tuna vessels to collect data on the catch, verify compliance with regulations, and promote best practices. The result of innovative international cooperation, it provides 100% coverage of the fleet and strengthens the capacities of partner countries while ensuring transparency and sustainability in fisheries.
In addition to onboard observers, CFTO has developed a robust electronic monitoring system (EMS) in collaboration with its partners Thalos and Bureau Veritas. Catches are monitored onboard by a CCTV network and then checked ashore by observers under the supervision of Bureau Veritas.
Innovation
By implementing the latest measurement and detection techniques, CFTO vessels are at the forefront of selectivity and environmental friendliness.
Techniques
Two main techniques are used by ocean-going purse seiners fishing for tuna destined for canning:
Fishing on free shoals (or fishing on mats) and fishing under objects (FAD for Fishing Aggregating Devices).
Bycatch species account for less than 0.5% on free banks and less than 5% under objects.
Respect for the environment
The CFTO fleet has adopted numerous demanding best practices in terms of environmental protection, ensuring compliance with current regulations.
CFTO uses fishing methods that promote sustainable and responsible fishing and contribute to the management of catch quotas and fishing effort.
A number of observations and rules applied on our ships on a daily basis can be noted:
1 – No impact on the seabed
2 – Retention of all catches on board
3 – No mortality among protected species
- Prohibition on casting nets around dolphins.
- Certified “Dolphin safe.”
- No accidental capture of birds.
- Release of live turtles back into the water.
4 – Reduction of incidental catches of sharks
5 – Ban on shark finning
6 – Regulation of fishing on FADs
- Compliance with current regulations.
- Establishment of a DCP register.
- Compliance with restrictions on the number of buoys in accordance with new ICCAT and IOTC resolutions.
7 – Use of non-mesh DCPs
- Requirement to deploy only non-mesh FADs.
8 – Investments in research into biodegradable materials for the manufacture of DCPs
9 – Storage of non-organic waste on board
- Compliance with MARPOL regulations by type of waste and by area.
10 – No pollutant emissions
- Management plan and register of polluting products and oils established and implemented.
- Wastewater management.
Social responsibility
CFTO applies social responsibility measures in a wide range of areas, such as safety on board and contributing to employment in ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) countries, as well as complying with Convention No. 188 governing work on fishing vessels, which came into force in 2007. Contracts for all seafarers, pay slips issued to seafarers in accordance with ILO Standard 188 on fishing.
These measures make CFTO a socially responsible company. This guide to best practices in social responsibility is applied on a daily basis under the responsibility of an employee at the company’s headquarters and under the governance of the second captain on board the tuna boat:
Compliance with safety standards on board
Our ships are subject to French safety regulations:
- SMS (Safety Management System) and SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) standards applied on board.
- Annual inspection of ships by a classification society approved by the French Maritime Affairs Authority.
- Social certification visits to our tuna vessels by the French or Italian Maritime Affairs authorities
- Strong focus on seafarer safety. Mandatory use of PPE, including helmets and PFDs (personal flotation devices). Awareness and monitoring of psychosocial risks. Implementation of internal training and mentoring for new arrivals.
- Close monitoring of the Single Risk Assessment Document, drawn up in partnership with the IMP by a department dedicated to safety on land with its representatives at bases and at sea.
Food and health quality
CFTO is one of the few companies in the world to carry out its own fish quality checks. What’s more, CFTO uses a unique, patented system to monitor the quality of fish freezing in real time, tank by tank, ensuring that its customers receive only the very best.
These measures enable us to guarantee the health and food quality of our catch, from the vessel to the cannery, but also for new markets such as tuna steak.
Compliance with health regulations
- Obtaining and regularly checking health approvals for each vessel.
- Compliance with HACCP criteria.
Cold chain log/monitoring. - Innovation in monitoring the quality of freezing brines to achieve core temperatures of -20°C (by measuring salt concentration and tank temperature in real time).
- Core temperature readings for our fish intended for the steak market.
Certifications
CFTO is certified:
MSC for the Indian Ocean skipjack tuna.
MSC for Atlantic Ocean skipjack and yellowfin tuna.
This certifies that our seafood products come from a fishery certified by an independent body according to the MSC environmental standard for fishing. msc.org
CFTO is an active member of the Indian Ocean Fishing Industry Association (SIOTI), which brings together several shipowners and canners in the Indian Ocean.
All CFTO vessels are listed on the Proactive Vessel Register (PVR) of the NGO ISSF.
The Vessel Registration Database (VRD) is a public online database that provides detailed information on vessels, particularly with regard to certain fishing activities. MRAG Americas, an independent auditor, verifies all vessels listed in the VRD.
Like the ProActive Vessel Register (PVR), the ISSF’s Vessel of Sustainable Initiative (VOSI) registry is a transparency tool. VOSI lists tuna vessels that have made public commitments to more sustainable fishing practices beyond those included in the PVR.
In December 2024, CFTO, through its OP ORTHONGEL, had its best practices recognized with the implementation of the AFNOR V45-076 standard, “Best practices for sustainable and responsible fishing by tropical tuna purse seine vessel owners,” an initiative of CFTO in partnership with our OP ORTHONGEL. It provides a reference tool for all stakeholders in the sector.
