One hook, one fish, one code: The Maldives already has ethical tuna. Now we must prove it.

The Financial Times’ investigation, 'The dark truth behind supermarket tuna,' published in November 2025, has forced the global seafood industry to confront something many already suspected: much of the tuna sold in big supermarkets still comes through supply chains that are difficult to monitor and easy to exploit.

Tuna of some of the most well recognised brands are sourced from suppliers whose fishermen accuse them of beatings, excessive hours and providing inadequate food. Many are trapped at sea for months in dehumanising conditions, even in situations of forced labour.

The UK-based NGO Environmental Justice Foundation collected evidence of systemic abuse in every vessel they documented. Consumers may feel reassured by numerous labels and logos on the packaging. But as the FT article shows, certifications don’t tell the entire story. 

During my four years as chairman of MIFCO [Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company], I came to understand the problem with certifications. Tuna labeled “Dolphin Safe” is not a guarantee that dolphins were unharmed, even accidentally and can still come from operations that harm sharks, manta rays, turtles, and juvenile tuna. Even [Marine Stewardship Council] MSC-certified fish can be connected to fleets where labour conditions are questionable or oversight is inconsistent. The industry has started relying on these labels as though they guarantee full transparency, when in reality they only cover narrow parts of the picture. 

The Maldives has a great edge because of how we fish. Our pole-and-line method is naturally selective: one hook, one fish. We don’t use drifting FADs, longlines, or huge nets that sweep up everything in their path. The result is hardly any bycatch, and a method that doesn’t require elaborate explanations to prove its environmental responsibility. Our fleets are local, closely regulated, and return to port daily or weekly. These simple facts remove many of the labour-risk issues associated with the kind of fisheries practices that require fishermen to travel thousands of miles from shore and be away for weeks or months on end.

Relying on the fishing method alone is not enough to secure our spot at the top of ethical tuna fishery. People are now more aware than ever and are invested in making ethically conscious decisions, be it in consuming, traveling, or even in simple routines in their everyday lives. People now want to know exactly which boat caught their fish, where it was caught, who was on that boat and how it was transported and processed. The Maldives already has a strong base; our Fishery Information System, which records catch data down to vessel and landing date, is better than what many countries have. The next step is to shape a system that ensures full traceability, so it follows the fish all the way from the moment it’s caught by the fisherman to the moment it is processed in the facility, ready to be shipped off to wherever in the world.

We need to lead the way by leaving behind paper logbooks and shifting to real-time digital reporting, securing our chain-of-custody information so it can’t be manipulated, and giving every product, whether a can of tuna or a fresh chilled loin, a QR code that allows anyone to see exactly where it came from and how it moved through the supply chain. This will allow the customer to trace the fish right to the person who caught it. These tools already exist, but we need a national decision to make them part of our fisheries governance.

Full traceability isn’t just about satisfying sustainability demands. It gives us a leg up in export negotiations, builds confidence among European buyers, and ensures our fishermen are recognized, and paid, for the value they create. It allows Maldivian tuna to stand in the premium category, not as a commodity competing on the lowest price but as a product backed by knowledge of its origins. It must also be noted, traceability is not a favour to Europeans or anyone else. It is how we can protect our reputation and strengthen our position for the sake of our fishermen.

The FT investigation reiterated an idea that has been gaining popularity; that the world is losing patience with increasing exploitation of people and natural resources. Retailers are under increasing scrutiny. Regulators are tightening rules. NGOs and journalists are digging deeper. In such an environment, countries that cannot show where their fish comes from, and who caught it, will fall behind. 

In addition to sustainability, this is very importantly about protecting our fishermen, strengthening our export competitiveness, and safeguarding the reputation of the Maldives. We already have the most ethical and responsible tuna fishery in the world. We should be proud of what we are doing right, and pragmatic about what we must improve. The Maldives has the chance to lead the movement toward transparent, traceable seafood. 

        

Amr was the managing director of the State Trading Organisation from late 2018 to March 2023. He also served as chairman of MiFCO.

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