Environmental organisation WWF and its partners have announced a blockchain project to address the problems of illegal fishing in the Pacific Islands’ tuna industry.

WWF-New Zealand, WWF-Australia, and WWF-Fiji have teamed up for the Blockchain Supply Chain Traceability Project. Other partners include blockchain venture studio ConsenSys, information and communications technology (ICT) implementer TraSeable, and tuna fishing and processing company Sea Quest Fiji Ltd.

Announced earlier this month, the project aims to leverage blockchain technology in the fresh and frozen tuna sectors of the Western and Central Pacific region to strengthen supply chain management. Switching from the existing paper-based process to a blockchain-based one would help to curb the rampant illegal fishing market.

“For years, there have been disturbing reports that consumers may have unknowingly bought tuna from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and, even worse, from operators who use slave labour,” said WWF-New Zealand CEO Livia Esterhazy. “Through blockchain technology, soon a simple scan of tuna packaging using a smartphone app will tell the story of a tuna fish – where and when the fish was caught, by which vessel and fishing method. Consumers will have certainty that they’re buying legally-caught, sustainable tuna with no slave labour or oppressive conditions involved. Blockchain technology is a digital, tamper-proof record of information that is accessible to everyone.”

ConsenSys is working with WWF and Sea Quest to test and implement the Viant blockchain traceability tool for the Pacific tuna industry. Fishermen would be able to register their catch on the blockchain through radio-frequency identification (RFID) e-tagging and scanning fish.

The project partners are now seeking a retailer to complete the tuna’s traceability story.