Dolphin Safe
Consumer Info
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Earth Island's unique International Monitoring Program maintains twelve staff members in seven countries around the world, who regularly inspect tuna in canneries, at dockside, and aboard fishing vessels in order to insure consumers that the tuna they buy is truly “dolphin safe“ This is the largest private environmental monitoring program in the world. We maintain agreements with more than 300 tuna companies around the world, including all major tuna processors.

These agreements pledge tuna companies to abide by the Earth Island international “Dolphin Safe” tuna standards of no encirclement of dolphins or other marine mammals during an entire fishing trip, no accidental deaths or serious injuries of any dolphins, and no use of drift gill nets.

click to view ISO policies

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• Press Release (7/24/08): Western Fishboat Owners Association Joins Dolphin Safe Program
• Consumer Alert (7/15/08): Far Ocean of Singapore Clears Up Gill Net Concerns
• Press Release (3/17/08): CALVO, European Tuna Company, Rejoins Dolphin Safe Program
• News: Premier Will Block Western Provinces Capture and Export of Live Dolphins in Solomon Islands
• News: Soltai concerned about Solomons move to resume dolphin exports
• Press Release (8/02/07): Federal Court Ruling on Dolphin-safe Tuna Becomes Final
  Bush Administration Forgoes Supreme Court Appeal
• Article (6/06/07): Solomons capture sparks fears of live dolphin exports
  "The capture of 20 wild dolphins in the Solomon Islands has sparked fears among environmental groups that the government will overturn a ban on dolphin exports." From The Sydney Morning Herald.

  The German Dolphin Conservation Society based in Munich has beeninstrumental since 1990 in the issue of Dolphin Safe tuna monitoring and education. This was the first non-governmental organization to assist Earth Island Institute by working with the German canned tuna industry to verify the Dolphin Safe status of tuna supplies. We thank Rollo Gebhardt and his staff for their tireless work for dolphins.

• Alert (5/25/07): ASISERVY Restored to Dolphin Safe Company List
  "Please take note of this change and notify your appropriate tuna procurement and sales staff. "
• Press Release (4/27/07): Us Court Of Appeals Rejects Bush Administration Bid To Weaken The "Dolphin Safe" Tuna Label
• Press Release (2/1/07): Food Lion Suspends All Purchase of Tuna from Mexican Dolphin-Deadly Brand
  "Food Lion LLC, based in Salisbury, North Carolina, has agreed to immediately cease all purchases from Dolores Tuna, packed by PINSA of Mexico. The suspension was the result of documentation provided by Earth Island that the tuna is caught by the intentional chasing and capture of dolphins."
• Press Release (7/13/06): US Tuna Industry's Dolphin-safe Fishing Practices Result in Tuna with the Lowest Mercury Levels
  "Without doubt, the actions by American tuna companies to only sell tuna caught without setting nets on dolphins has also meant that US consumers are being provided with tuna with the lowest mercury levels," stated David Phillips, Director.
• In the News (2/16/06): Top Conservation Group Opens Office in Honiara
  International environmental group Earth Island Institute has established its office in Honiara, Solomon Islands, with local environmental activist Lawrence Makili heading it. From Pacific Island Report and The Solomon Star.

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This definition of dolphin-safe tuna is both the most scientifically sound and the most widely accepted standard for protection of dolphins and marine life. Companies that maintain such agreements in good standing are included on Earth Island's list of verified “Dolphin Safe” tuna companies.

RELATED LINKS:

• International “Dolphin Safe” Standards for Tuna
• Estándares Internacionales “Dolphin Safe” Para El Atún (en Español) [MS Word format]
• Earth Island's 2007 Annual Report on our Dolphin Safe Tuna Monitoring Program
  [MS Word Format, or Acrobat .pdf]
• Earth Island's 2006 Annual Report on our Dolphin Safe Tuna Monitoring Program
  [MS Word Format, or Acrobat .pdf]
• Earth Island's 2005 Annual Report on our Dolphin Safe Tuna Monitoring Program
  [MS Word Format, or Acrobat .pdf]
• Questions and Answers About Earth Island's Dolphin Safe Program
• Dolphin Safe Policy for Fishing Companies [MS Word Format]
• Dolphin-Safe Póliza De Compañías Pesqueras (en Español) [MS Word format]
• Dolphin Safe Policy for Importers/Processors/Brokers/Retailers [MS Word format]
• Póliza Dolphin-Safe Para Compañías Procesadoras, Importadoras, Agentes Y Distribuidores (en Español) [Word format]
• European Dolphin Safe Monitoring Organisation (EDSMO) and Logo

• For More Information on Earth Island’s International Marine Mammal Project
• For More Information on Earth Island Institute