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other tuna species, making up 60% of the commercial tuna catch worldwide. Most of which

is used for canning (Collette 2011, n.p.). So rather than the fish itself being a matter of

conflict, the conflict exists over industrial fishing techniques that characterise the global

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industry: in particular the use of purse seines and Fish Aggregation Devices (FADs) , which
cause fleets to indiscriminately capture sea life (turtles, dolphins and other non-target species

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termed bycatch ). Conflicts also arise around illegal fishing and the capture of vulnerable

tuna species, such as yellowfin tuna. Skipjack has become a solution to these environmental

problems. This is due to its fecundity and distribution and also the fishing method of pole and

line, which is still in use in the Maldives and there are discussions of reintroducing pole and

line fishing in the Pacific Islands (Barclay, 2013).

In the form of tinned tuna, skipjack offers an opportunity to explore the politics of

eating sustainably. As a minor case study of this thesis, tinned tuna brings the reader into the

world of global tuna trade and sustainability issues and systems. Traceability (record-keeping

systems which track products through a supply chain) has become important to these politics.

Being aware of the provenance of food is emphasised as a way for consumers to eat ethically

and enact individual responsibility and sustainability. A plethora of market and campaign

devices have emerged to aid in this process. As a result, choosing a sustainable option should

be easy, right? However, the seemingly simple question of what is a sustainable tin of tuna

opens up a range of issues. A simple response is to look for the logo of the Marine

Stewardship Council (MSC), the largest seafood certifying body, or to view Greenpeace’s

sustainable tinned tuna guide. But do these sustainability standards, traceability schemes and

guides mean that these are sustainable products? What frame of reference are we using to

assess this? What do sustainability devices (e.g. certification) render visible? What aspects

might they fail to include?

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