Seafood Task Force Presents at UN Ocean Conference
Nice, France, 18 June 2025
The Seafood Task Force (STF), a leading trade association that represents members of global tuna and shrimp supply chains, presented at the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, which was attended by dignitaries including President Macron of France, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Prince William.
STF Executive Director, Martin Thurley, participated in a panel discussion titled "Consolidating a sustainable value chain for fisheries resources" during the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) high-level event "Our Living Ocean – Solutions for People, Nature and Climate" held at the Marc Chagall National Museum in Nice. The session brought together international leaders from companies, institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) advancing more transparent and ocean-friendly practices. Fellow panelists included representatives from Sodexo, Sysco France, and notably Bolton Food's Chief Sustainable Development Officer Luciano Pirovano, highlighting the collaborative nature of the session.
The event, organised by WWF, explored how collaboration supported by frameworks and solution-oriented tools can help reduce industry impact and support the health of marine ecosystems. The panel focused on showcasing actions and commitments by the private sector, with the session examining tools and approaches to address key environmental and social issues in seafood supply chains.
The presentation highlighted the STF's proven methodology that helps its members know, assess, remediate and communicate Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) progress. And how member companies are committing to addressing the root causes of human rights and environmental issues, through collaboration and leverage with stakeholders throughout the value chain.
Thurley also shared examples of the STF's tangible impact, including advocacy that led to fishery law reforms in Thailand, development of electronic traceability systems, and ongoing training programmes for vessel captains and crew across multiple countries and languages.
STF Executive Director, Martin Thurley said:
“The Seafood Task Force is a growing coalition using its leverage to drive oversight and continuous improvement at scale. Members benefit from the tools and platform we provide to enable working together and to help meet Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence requirements. The programme is designed to maximise efficiency, effectiveness and reduce duplicative effort for all.”
The STF’s participation at this year’s UNOC demonstrated how industry-led solutions can address critical challenges in global seafood sustainability and human rights. Whilst underscoring the STF’s practical achievements over the past decade, including supply chain mapping, risk assessment, government collaboration, and worker training programmes. These efforts underscore the urgent need for collective action to advance human rights and sustainability in global seafood supply chains.
-Ends-
For media inquiries, please contact: stf@thephagroup.com
About the Seafood Task Force:
The Seafood Task Force (STF) was established in 2014 to restore global confidence to trade, following concerns about social and environmental abuse in global tuna and shrimp supply chains. It is made up of over 50 major retailers, brands, food service companies and their supply chain partners.
The STF drives supply chain oversight at scale, pioneering a pro-competitive approach that makes it easier for its members to meet international standards and growing due diligence requirements.
The STF is a US-based, not-for-profit trade association established for the seafood industry by the seafood industry. Its vision is a future where its members’ seafood supply chains are fully traceable, free from the risk of human rights violations and free from environmental degradation.
For more information: https://seafoodtaskforce.global/