Dolphin-safe Tuna Compliance Information for Certain Gillnet Fisheries
Additional documentation requirements apply to gillnet fisheries harvesting tuna by vessels flagged under the governments of India, Iran, Mozambique, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
On September 28, 2016, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries issued a determination—under the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act—of regular and significant mortality and serious injury of dolphins in gillnet fisheries harvesting tuna by vessels flagged under the governments of India, Iran, Mozambique, Pakistan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. This determination triggered additional documentation requirements for tuna products marketed or labeled as dolphin-safe that were harvested on fishing trips that began on or after November 28, 2016.
Additional documentation requirements include an observer statement. Currently, the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries has not determined any observer programs for gillnet fisheries and tuna vessels in the above-named governments to be acceptable (see Determination of Observer Programs as Qualified and Authorized by the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries).
Therefore, until further notice, importers interested in importing such tuna into the United States will be unable to satisfy current documentary requirements for dolphin-safe tuna products.