First in Indonesia, Pole & Line Fishermen Get Fair Trade Certification

Sengkanaung Fair Trade Fishermen Association (Source: AP2HI, 2020)

Fair Trade (FT) certification is a certificate that does not rely on aid funds, but uses a market approach to empower fishermen to get a fair price for their crops.

Fair Trade enables sustainable development and community empowerment by leveraging a fairer global trading model.

After a long process and rigorous assessment, a total of 154 Skipjack Tuna Fishermen, divided into 3 pole & line vessels managed to achieve a Fair Trade ecolabelling certificate.

Under the company PT. Samudra Mandiri Sentosa with its supply chain (PT. Jaya Bitung Mandiri and Fishtales) in collaboration with AP2HI and YII as implementers have successfully obtained FT certification in early 2020 and have passed the Y1 audit by the end of 2020. In the course of this FT certification requires a series of activities for the fulfilment of the next annual standards of FT USA as well as to meet the findings of the previous year’s audit (Client Action Plan – CAP) according to the agreed time line.

General Assembly of Sengkanaung Fair Trade Fishermen Assocciation (Source: AP2HI, 2021)

On September 6th, 2021, AP2HI together with PT. Samudra Mandiri Sentosa held a General Assembly that involved 51 pole & line fishermen in one group named, Sengkanaung Fair Trade Fishermen Association in Bitung.

This event is an annual fishermen’s event that discusses issues, the progress of the membership of fishing groups that are members of the Fair Trade group as well as the proposals proposed by each ship that is a member of the Fair Trade group and the approval of premium funds from each proposal of member ships that will be liquidated once in one year and given to one group (one group consists of 3 AP2HI member ships). Premium funds are obtained from the sale of fish that have been exported using the Fair Trade label from the catch of pole & line fishermen assisted by AP2HI.

In accordance with the rules in the standard Fair Trade clause, the use of premium funds must be divided into 2 parts, namely as much as 70% used for social activities, economic development and the remaining 30% for the environment. On the first liquidation of premium funds, all members of Sengkanaung Fair Trade Fishermen Association agreed to use the fund to purchase groceries for all members who are affected by COVID-19 (70%) and produce group uniforms to campaign regarding species that are endangered, threatened, and protected (30%).

Head of Sengkanaung Fishermen Association did the first premium fund liquidation (Source: AP2HI, 2021)