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 (5/7/09): Maersk partners with Friend of the Sea and Earth Island’s Dolphin-Safe to ensure chain of custody and to promote sustainable fishing
  “Maersk will discourage and refuse the handling and shipping of tuna from companies declared by the Earth Island Institute as non-Dolphin-Safe. It will also work to provide Friend of the Sea total transparency over the containers carrying sustainable seafood certified by the international scheme.”
• Press Release: Dolphin Safe Policy Now Includes Ban on IUU Vessels
  "A major problem in world fisheries is the involvement of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing vessels, essentially pirate fishermen stealing fish from legitimate fishermen…"
• News: Dolphin Forum a Farce. from The Solomon Star, 3/24/09.
  "I WOULD like to comment extensively regarding the so-called Dolphin Forum and its failed attempt to appear transparent on this issue on the part of the government…"
• News: Earth Island responds to threatening leter. From the Solomon Star News, 2/26/09.
• News: EII Urging Philippines To Return Dolphins To Solomon. From Atuna.com, 1/22/09.
  "We will continue to fight for the freedom of dolphins and an end to this cruel trade," Mr. Berman said.
• News: Consultant Notes Dolphin Question In New Solomons' Cannery. From Atuna.com, 1/22/09.
• News: EII Connects New Tuna Cannery Setup With Dolphin Trade. From Atuna.com, 1/21/09.
  "There is no way under the present situation that a cannery in Malaita will be considered dolphin safe".
• News: Bad news for planned Mala cannery. From the Solomon Star News, 1/21/09.
  “Malaita has been the main island of mass dolphin killing each year with the blessing of the provincial and central governments,” Mr Berman said.
• 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 Gebhard 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]
• Dolphin Safe Short Policy for Retailers/Importers [MS Word Format or Acrobat .pdf]
• Acuerdo Dolphin Safe Para Importadores de Atún, Agentes Intermediarios, y Minoristas (en Español) [MS Word Format or Acrobat .pdf]
• Earth Island's 2008 Annual Report on our Dolphin Safe Tuna Monitoring Program
  [MS Word Format, or Acrobat .pdf]
• 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