Our recent work
Over recent years, Naunet has worked in a range of projects in more than 20 different countries. Find information about some of the projects in which we have participated in the list below.
Market opportunities for seafood products of the Mahé Plateau trap and line fishery in Seychelles
Jose Peiro Crespo has recently been awarded a new project in Seychelles "Preparation of an options document on marketing opportunities for fishery products from the Mahé Plateau trap and line fishery of Seychelles". This work is part of the World Bank-funded project: "Southwest Indian Ocean Shared Growth and Fisheries Governance Third Project (SWIOFish3)" and will be carried out for the Seychelles Fisheries Authority (SFA).
The objective of the study is to conduct an analysis on market opportunities for finfish products of the Mahé Plateau trap and line fishery with a view to identifying the role of the Implementation Committee of the Co-management Plan (ICCP) in promoting market-based incentives for a transition to sustainability.
Review of the ecological and economic impacts of MPAs on demersal species and fisheries
A review of the positive and negative impacts of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) was conducted in order to assess their effectiveness and advice fisheries managers on the use of MPAs as a management tool for the North Sea and Baltic Seas. The study was conducted for WWF-Germany and included the review of the impacts (biomass, species biodiversity, CPUEs, fisheries displacement, etc) of several MPAs implemented in European waters.
Note: The photo shows a MPA recently implemented in the Mediterranean Spanish coast (Source: https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2023/12/30/pdfs/BOE-A-2023-26741.pdf).
Marine Stewardship Council assessments for sustainable fisheries
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) program for sustainable fisheries recognises and rewards fisheries operating sustainably through its fisheries certification program and label. Fisheries are assessed against the MSC standard by an independent third-party (CAB) and must meet the three principles of the standard:
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Principle 1: Sustainable fish stocks
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Principle 2: Minimising environmental impacts
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Principle 3: Effective fisheries management
In recent years, we have worked as a P2 and P3 experts for several assessments conducted in Iceland, the Falkland Islands, Nicaragua and the Faroes Islands.
Study on the benefits of government transparency in fisheries
The project, funded by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) and funded by the main objective was to conduct a study to analyse market and non-market-based benefits to incentivise governments to proactively publish information on marine fisheries management.
For this project, the consultants of Naunet Jose Peiro Crespo and Carlos Pombo Sonderblohm conducted a review of the standards of the two main eco-certification programs (the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Friends of the Sea (FoS)) and the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) to identify similarities between the standards They also reviewed several recent certification reports in order to understand how the information published by the governments enrolled in the FiTI program are being used by the certification experts to justify scores given in the certification assessment reports. Based on the findings of those reviews, a number of recommendations for improvement were given.
Preparation of a roadmap for the development of the Blue economy in Tunisia
The project, funded by the World Bank and implemented both by Hidria (Ciencia, Ambiente y Desarrollo) and the ICSEM (Instituto para el Crecimiento Sostenible de la Empresa) aims at preparing a preparation of a roadmap for the development of the Blue economy in Tunisia.
Jose Peiro Crespo has been appointed as an blue economy expert (fisheries and aquaculture) to explore the possibilities for the further development of the commercial fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the country.
Independent validation of the FiTI in the Seychelles- The World Bank
The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) is a global multi-stakeholder initiative that strengthens transparency and collaboration in fisheries management. The FiTI Standard is organised into 12 transparency requirements, and it is the only internationally recognised framework that defines what information on fisheries management should be published online by national authorities. The reputation of the FiTI as an initiative promoting good governance, in particular transparency, participation and accountability, is one of the initiative’s greatest assets and robust and objective assurance procedures play an important role in creating and maintaining FiTI’s reputation.
Jose Peiro Crespo was appointed as an independent validator to conduct an assessment of the FiTI in Seychelles. His role was to assess the implementation of the individual requirements of the standard through a desk-review of relevant documents and interviewing stakeholders in the country, providing a recommendation for the overall compliance designation and making suggestions to further strengthen the initiative in the country.
Study to Support the Development of a Program to Gradually Convert the Surplus of Small-Scale Artisanal Fishing Fleet to Semi-Industrial Fishing Vessels in Cabo Verde - The World Bank (project managed by MEP)
José Peiro Crespo was appointed by McAlister Elliott & Partners, managers of the project, as an international fisheries management expert to collaborate in an international team aimed at supporting the development of a program to conver the surplus of the small-scale artisanal fleet in Cape Verde to semi-industrial fishing vessels. His tasks consisted of carrying out a Value Chain Analysis (VCA) of both the small-scale and industrial supply chains in the country and collecting stock assessment data to assess the main fishing resources in the archipelago. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) was conducted for the new fleet.
Pre-assessments, FIP Action Plans and other fisheries and aquaculture projects in Latin America
In the past years, Naunet Fisheries Consultants has been developing a number of projects in Latin America, including working with purse-seine tuna fisheries in Peru and Ecuador, squid fisheries in Argentina and Chile or small pelagic fisheries in Peru and Chile, among others. These experiences have helped us to build a strong knowledge about the artisanal and industrial fisheries in the area, the various fisheries evaluation and management systems and the socio-political implications of these activities in each country.
Several of the pre-assessments conducted for fisheries in the area have been used to prepare FIP actions plans which are now being implemented in order to improve the sustainability of those fisheries.
Audit of the SIOTI fleet FIP in the Indian Ocean
Naunet Fisheries Consultants was commissioned by the Sustainable Indian Ocean Tuna Initiative (SIOTI) to audit its Fishery Improvement Project for the FisheryProgress website. That FIP was jointly established by key governments, major tuna processors and producer organizations, with the support of WWF in the Indian Ocean. The ultimate aim of the FIP is to meet the highest standards of sustainable fishing, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard, for the industrial purse seine fishery which targets three tuna species: skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the Indian Ocean. The aim of this audit was to evaluate the objectives and goals reached by this FIP in the past three years.
Pre-assessments of two squid fisheries under the MSC standard
Naunet Fisheries Consultants was commissioned by the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership to undertake the pre-assessment of the artisanal giant squid jig (Dosidicus gigas) fishery in Chile and an Argentine shorfin squid (Illex argentinus) jig fishery in South Atlantic waters (confidential).
Our consultants carried out a review of the stock status of both species, the impact of these fisheries on bycatch, endangered and protected species, ecosystem and habitats; and the management system to score these fisheries under the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) standard.
Although jigs are environmentally friendly gears which have a relatively low impact on species, ecosystem and habitats, a number of issues were identified in both fisheries which need to be addressed by both scientific bodies and government agencies. These problems will be addressed through respective Fishery Improvement Project (FIP).
Developing management advice for yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean
Naunet Fisheries Consultants carried out a review of the yellowfin tuna (YFT) fishery in the Indian Ocean (IO) to develop management advice for rebuilding the stock in two generations. This study was commissioned by the Global Tuna Alliance, an independent group of retailers and supply-chain companies (including supermarkets such as TESCO, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, ASDA or Morrisons) working to ensure that tuna ultimately meets the highest standards of environmental performance and social responsibility. Our consultants reviewed the information provided by several reports presented during recent IOTC meetings and concluded that a 25% cut in catch is needed to rebuild the YFT stock. These findings were used by several GTA's members, including TESCO, the Co-op or Princes to cut the sourcing of that species from the IO and put pressure on the IOTC commission in order to approve a management plan for rebuilding the stock. The report was presented in the 24th Session of the Indian Ocean Commission, held by video-conference from 2th to 6th November 2020. A special sessions of the Commission is expected in March 2021 to discuss rebuilding of the overfished stock.
Pre-assessment of a national certification program in South America to assess compliance with the GSSI standards
Naunet Fisheries Consultants carried out a pre-assessment for a tuna certification program under the Global Sustianable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) standard. The GSSI mission is to ensure confidence in the supply and promotion of certified seafood as well as to promote improvement in the seafood certification schemes.
International market assessment for sustainable sourced seafood
Naunet worked for the Market Development Facility (MDF) and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) undertaking an international market assessment for sustainable conscious seafood segments to engage the Sri Lanka blue swimming crab and tuna industry to move towards premium/niche market segments such as sustainably sourced/socially responsible/equitable seafood to improve revenues and better returns on investments while protecting their natural resources.
Quality losses in small-scale fisheries in Indonesia and Madagascar
We were hired by Blueventures, an award winning marine conservation NGO, to evaluate post-harvest quality losses in five small-scale fisheries in the Indo-Pacific area. The main aim of this project was to identify interventions able to curb quality losses at the first stages of the supply chain, thus ultimately improving the livelihoods of local fishing communities.
We performed a value chain analysis for each fishery to identify post-harvest quality losses at each step of the supply chain and create a matrix of potential interventions in order to improve efficiency of the supply chains, while taking into account their social and ecological implications.
Successful cases of co-managed fisheries in Northwest Africa
Naunet was commissioned by WWF, to carry out a study about co-managed fisheries in Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and The Gambia. The main goal of this project was to analyse how seafood buyers’ choices in Europe might impact the livelihoods of fisheries-dependent coastal communities in developing countries. Two relevant fisheries, both located in Senegal, were finally selected for an in-depth analysis, identifying lessons learnt and making recommendations for strengthening future co-management initiatives in developed and developing countries.
@ Juan Vilata
MSC pre-assessments of bluefin tuna fisheries in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea
Naunet Fisheries Cosnultants was hired by two different Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs), accredited to carry out Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) fisheries certification assessments, to pre-evaluate two bluefin tuna pole and line fisheries. We assessed these fisheries under the three principles of the MSC standards: P1, Sustainable target fish stocks; P2, Environmental impact of fishing on bycatch species, habitats and ecosystem; and P3, Effective management. We found, that although the stock of bluefin tuna has improved in recent years, a series of management issues need to be addressed before these fisheries are ready to go for a full MSC assessment.