TTVP Retail Market Spot Check Audit Database

The data set contains information on retail market spot check audit purchases of tuna in airtight containers. Data are available from May 2001 to present with new data appended annually. Information includes the date, location, product type, store information where random spot check purchases were made throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. Information on purchased product allows the manufacturer, distributor or importer to track the tuna back to harvest and verify the dolphin-safe status of the tuna product.

Under the authority of the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act (16 U.S.C. 1385), the NMFS West Coast Region's Tuna Tracking and Verification Program (TTVP) monitors the dolphin-safe status of frozen and/or processed tuna product. The TTVP Retail Market Spot Check Audit covers all 50 states and Puerto Rico. TTVP staff have traveled to retail markets throughout the country purchasing tuna product in airtight containers to verify the dolphin-safe label or to verify the legal importation of product . After purchase of the product, TTVP staff request from the importer, distributor or manufacturer for the documentation which verifies the dolphin-safe status.

Some retail market tuna purchases have been collected by NOAA's National Weather Service employees and by State of Texas middle school students during pilot projects. While the TTVP's jurisdiction includes American Samoa, retail market spot check audits are not conducted in American Samoa as the territory is outside of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's reporting area.

West Coast Region, Long Beach, California office, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Tuna Tracking and Verification Program

The data is contained in a Microsoft Access database on a NMFS West Coast Region server. Data is appended after each spot check audit, which is usually conducted annually.

Attributes include whether the purchased product bears a dolphin-safe label, retail market (store) information, canner or importer contact information, document submission compliance, product type, purchased price, can codes and tuna product brand name.

United States and Puerto Rico

Data collected on the actual spot check audit purchase is public information. Proprietary information related to the verification of the dolphin-safe label on the tuna product or whether the tuna product was legally imported into the United States is considered business confidential and is protected by law.

Data is stored in files on government computers with all of the proper U.S. government security measures in place.

None. The information is stored in a Microsoft Access database. No access is allowed, other than by TTVP staff.

Contact NMFS West Coast Region, Sustainable Fisheries Division, Tuna Tracking and Verification Program: William Jacobson at 562-980-4035 or at bill.jacobson@noaa.gov.

Use currently limited to NMFS Tuna Tracking & Verification Program Team members who must sign a non-disclosure agreement statement.

All use of the data must be cleared with NMFS WCR TTVP lead.

None

None

The information is stored in a Microsoft Access format database.

Spot check product purchases span many tuna brands sold in the United States. Some brands are national while others are only found regionally or locally.

Accuracy of the alpha-numeric production code is substantiated by the importer or manufacturer.

Estimated to be at 100%.

Tuna product samples are purchased by the TTVP, in the event enforcement evidence is required, should there be a NMFS regulatory compliance issue.

Manual input

NCEI location to be determined, if applicable

Secured agency network server.

Tuna in airtight containers is purchased from various retail market locations in the United States by TTVP staff. TTVP staff then request documentation to substantiate the dolphin-safe label or for product not labeled as "dolphin safe" whether it was imported legally into the United States.