This plant relies partially on unsustainable species. In 2024, a certificate issued by the MarinTrust Improver Programme documented that shortfin scad, chub mackerel and frigate tuna were among the fish species processed by the plant.¹ Shortfin scad was classified as “overfished” in Ecuadorian waters according to the Public Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Institute in 2021.² Frigate tuna and chub mackerel were classified as “overfished” in Ecuadorian waters according to the Public Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Institute in 2023.³ This means that fish were caught faster than they could reproduce, shrinking the population and reducing their capacity to recover to healthy levels.

Urisa S.A. failed to respond to a request for comment.⁴