Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Co-op are the first to sign our Charter for Transparency, designed to help supermarkets ensure their seafood supply chains are free from illegal fishing and human rights abuse. With the help of supporters who signed our initial letter, we have enlisted the backing of these major retailers, which together make up over half of all groceries sales in the UK.

This is a major win, but we can make it even bigger with your help. We are in positive discussions with several other supermarkets, and you can show them that consumers care by signing the letter urging them to take the pledge.

Human rights abuses and illegal practices that destroy ocean ecosystems have plagued parts of the global seafood industry. Out at sea and far from law enforcement, crew are vulnerable, and unscrupulous owners can act with impunity.

A lack of transparency in the global seafood industry allows such harmful practices to persist, enabling Illegal operators to create as much confusion as possible around their identities; escaping detection by changing vessel names; concealing ownership; flying different flags to avoid detection; or removing ships from registers entirely.

Transparency in all aspects of fisheries is crucial to ensuring that the seafood we eat was caught legally, ethically and sustainably. Supermarkets are a vital link in the chain and can do much to demand change.

The charter includes detailed recommendations retailers can use with suppliers to make sure no boat associated with illegal or unethical practices taints their supply chain.

Central to this is the use of traceability systems that allow fish to be tracked from net to plate, accompanied by necessary evidence showing it was caught legally and ethically. These should be backed up by third party audits, focused on those areas of the supply chain with the highest risks.

In addition, supermarkets have a powerful voice that they can use to call on governments to make critical reforms. The charter calls on them to support the adoption of EJF’s ten principles for global transparency in the fishing industry.

These simple, low-cost measures – which include publishing license lists and giving vessels unique numbers – are well within the reach of any country and can play a pivotal role in the battle against illegal fishing and human rights abuse in the sector.

Supermarkets have real power to help end illegal fishing and human rights abuse at sea. They can do this by putting in place effective risk mitigation policies and processes across their entire supply chains, backed by independent verification.

By adopting EJF’s Charter for Transparency they will be doing much to achieve this and at the same time will actively encourage governments across the world to implement the basic measures that are vital to eradicating illegal fishing and human rights abuses in the seafood sector.

The leadership shown by Tesco, Sainsbury’s and the Co-op is to be commended and we hope others will sign up soon. After all, it is clear that consumers want and deserve seafood that is sustainable, legal and ethical.

• Sign the letter today