"Sustainable" canned tuna often damaging to environment: Activists

Lables saying "sustainably caught" or "caught with respect for nature" on canned tuna are often not true, according to environmental organization Greenpeace on Monday. Tuna are still often caught in a way that is damaging to the environment and other marine animals like sharks, the Telegraaf reports.

The environmental organization looked into seven canned tuna producers in the Netherland to find out which tuna they use and how exactly the fish are caught. Six of the seven producers sell canned tuna that were caught in a way that is damaging to the environment.

One of these is John West, the largest tuna processor. In 2011 the company promised to only sell tuna caught in a responsible manner by the end of this year. According to Greenpeace, 95 percent of the John West tuna are still caught using "lure-rafts". This method is highly controversial - the traps reach depths of several dozens of metes and also catches a lot of other fish.