Announcements by the nation's top tuna canners to help reduce the killing of dolphins disappointed fishermen but boosted environmentalists who are lobbying hard for change.
Environmental groups predicted the move by companies selling the StarKist, Bumble Bee and Chicken of the Sea brands will save some of the estimated 100,000 dolphins that die annually in huge nets used to catch schools of tuna.StarKist Seafood Co. said Thursday it "will not purchase any tuna caught in association with dolphins" and "will sell only dolphin-free tuna."
The action was taken in "recognition of increased consumer concern for the environment" and because "the greatest concern in the tuna industry is dolphin mortality," said Anthony A.F. O'Reilly, president of the H.J. Heinz Co., which owns StarKist.
StarKist has a 35 percent share of the U.S. tuna market and is the world's largest tuna canner. The change could cost consumers "a couple or more cents" per can, O'Reilly said.
Bumble Bee Seafoods Inc., a chief competitor, followed suit a few hours later saying it "would now implement its plan to end the purchase of tuna caught in association with dolphin."
"Our tuna cans will begin to reflect the dolphin-safe label in U.S. stores within the next three months," the statement said.
Van Kamp Seafood of St. Louis, seller of Chicken of the Sea brand, said it would "discontinue buying tuna caught in association with dolphins," according to a statement from Jose E. Munoz Jr., company president. "To do this, we are asking our few existing contract vessels to relocate their operations to the western Pacific, where the dolphin mortality problem does not exist."
Leslie Scheele of the environmental group Greenpeace, which backs a world wide boycott of tuna caught with nets, said the action could "finally end the killing of dolphins by tuna nets forever. Others are going to have to follow suit."
However, the American Tunaboat Association criticized the new policy as "politically and marketing motivated."
August Felando, ATA president, said the move was "devastating" for the U.S. tuna fleet. "Basically, we have now lost our market. The eastern Pacific is the most productive area in the world for yellowfin tuna fishing and it's our traditional grounds," he said.
"U.S. boats will be forced to other fisheries or even go out of business," while foreign boats will sell their tuna to non-U.S. buyers, Felando added.
Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., who is sponsoring legislation to require canners to label tuna that is caught by nets that ensnare dolphins, said the announcement made StarKist "not only the largest but the most enlightened" tuna canner in the world."
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Japan unswayed
Thursday's announcement by American tuna canners did not sway Japan's tuna industry, which said Friday it will continue drift-net fishing while studying alternatives. Japanese fishermen are responsible for about 30 percent of the world tuna, swordfish and bonito catch. Drift nets are giant and nearly invisible and can kill or maim dolphins in the process of catching other fish.