Tesco and WWF Unveil Seascape Roadmap Toward 100% MSC Tuna

Tesco and WWF launched a joint tuna-sourcing policy aimed at shifting supermarket purchases toward fisheries managed for broader ecosystem health and stronger breeding-stock baselines. The roadmap sets an ambition for all Tesco tuna to be MSC-certified, and it promotes the SSB40 metric - tracking spawning-stock biomass against a 40 percent threshold - as a key benchmark for sustainable harvest and risk reduction.

Central elements of the approach include tighter traceability through the supply chain, non-retention policies for bycatch species, best-practice handling and monitoring onboard vessels, and adoption of precautionary harvest control rules that limit catch when stock indicators deteriorate. Where fisheries are not yet meeting the targets, Tesco will lean on Fishery Improvement Projects as a pathway to better practice, while aligning sourcing decisions with guidance from the Global Tuna Alliance and aligned NGOs.

This policy matters for coastal communities, independent fishers, and processors because retail demand drives upstream practices. Purse-seine and longline suppliers aiming to retain or grow access to Tesco contracts will face new commercial incentives to meet SSB40-based thresholds, implement onboard monitoring and handling standards, and reduce bycatch retention. Processors and certification bodies can expect increased demand for MSC assessment and verification services, and for documented improvements delivered through FIPs.

For practitioners, the policy has immediate practical implications. Verify vessel and shipment traceability records and be prepared to demonstrate handling and monitoring protocols. Prepare for non-retention rules by reviewing deck procedures and bycatch handling equipment. Consider engagement in a credible FIP or pursuing MSC assessment to maintain market access. Buyers and co-operatives will need to map which fisheries already meet SSB40-like benchmarks and where investment or management change is required.

Retailer-led sourcing shifts like this can shorten the timeline for management changes by creating predictable market signals. Tesco and WWF argue that maintaining healthier stock baselines reduces both climate-related and exploitation-related risks, supporting long-term supply reliability. Implementation will be the next test: enforcement of traceability, the robustness of onboard monitoring, and the pace of FIP progress will determine how quickly sourcing patterns adjust and whether the roadmap delivers measurable ecosystem benefits.