Thai Union Partners with Zunibal to Strengthen Tuna Longliner Monitoring in the Indian Ocean

19 October 2026
Edited By: Haley McQueen

Thai Union, one of the world's largest seafood companies, has chosen Zunibal to upgrade its existing Electronic Monitoring (EM) systems on its suppliers' tuna longliners in the Indian Ocean. Zunibal's cloud-based service combines secure data access, expert analysis, and AI tools that speed up reviews and support better decisions.

Ángel Martínez, Chief Commercial Officer at Zunibal, and Tony Lazazzara, Group Director Global Fish Purchasing at Thai Union. (Image credit: Zunibal)

Thai Union has made major progress since setting its Global Tuna Sustainability Goals in 2015. More than 99.9% of its tuna is now responsibly sourced, 95% is covered by on-the-water monitoring, and 100% can be traced back to the vessel that caught it. The partnership with Zunibal builds on that progress and supports Thai Union’s traceability and responsible sourcing commitments under SeaChange®, its global sustainability strategy. The monitoring data will also help assess compliance with regional and international fisheries regulations.

“We chose Zunibal because it turns innovation into real results on the water. Its AI expertise and hands-on support will make our monitoring faster, smarter and more useful, helping us protect tuna stocks and meet the standards our customers expect,” said Tony Lazazzara, Group Director Global Fish Purchasing at Thai Union.

The agreement is an important milestone for Zunibal’s EM business, bringing more than 30 years of marine technology experience to a partnership with one of the world’s largest seafood groups. Built to EM performance standards developed by Thai Union and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Zunibal’s end-to-end service covers installation, technical support, cloud-based data management, and AI-assisted review and reporting.

The electronic monitoring program will be designed to follow applicable guidance from the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). It will also help the fleet show compliance with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Fisheries Standard to maintain their current MSC Certification.

According to Ángel Martínez, Chief Commercial Officer at Zunibal: “Electronic Monitoring has to be practical and cost-effective to deliver lasting value. By combining cloud technology, specialist review and our AI expertise, we reduce the time and cost of analyzing fishing activity while providing reliable evidence to support MSC and TNC requirements. Thai Union’s choice shows the value of delivering all of this through one integrated service, fully aligned with the wider objectives of the monitoring program.”

In addition, Zunibal Asia, based in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, will provide support and training in the relevant languages of the crew and will work closely with vessel owners and operators, making it a trusted partner for crews and a strategic asset in delivering a responsive, reliable service.

The project will be coordinated by Thai Union’s trusted partner, Key Traceability, a UK-based consultancy specializing in seafood sustainability that works with Thai Union and its suppliers on fisheries improvement. Working together ensures Zunibal’s EM service directly supports the wider goals of the monitoring program.

Director at Key Traceability, Tom Evans, said: “It is great to have a trusted EM provider like Zunibal on board. Their integration of technology with real-world experience is vital to ensure we are able to deliver our sustainability project goals.”