Europe moves closer to ban on bluefin tuna fishing
source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/09/europe-bluefin-tuna-campaign
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The European commission today threw its support behind a campaign to outlaw trade in endangered bluefin tuna, meaning that efforts to rebuild stocks of the species could begin next year.
At a meeting in Brussels, the commission agreed to support Monaco, the first country to ban bluefin tuna trading, in its attempt to have the fish listed internationally as an endangered species.
Although a complete ban on trade in bluefin tuna is supported by EU member states such as Germany, France, Britain and several others, the move could yet be opposed by the big players in Mediterranean fishing: Spain, Italy, and Malta, the centre of the European bluefin industry.
"If agreed, the Cites' vote in March 2010 would result in a ban on international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna," said the commission.
The depleted stocks of the fish in the Mediterranean have hit almost extinction levels, according to experts, with bluefin tuna thought to below 18% of the total in 1970.
Stocks of the fish were decimated throughout the 1990s. Around 80% of the bluefin tuna caught in the Mediterranean is exported to Japan for conversion into sushi after the fish have been fattened for several months in European fish farms.
"Bluefin tuna has become endangered because of disgraceful fisheries management in the EU. The suspension of trade is a last resort and it merely buys the EU time to put its fisheries management in order," said Saskia Richartz of Greenpeace.
At a meeting in Brussels, the commission agreed to support Monaco, the first country to ban bluefin tuna trading, in its attempt to have the fish listed internationally as an endangered species.
Although a complete ban on trade in bluefin tuna is supported by EU member states such as Germany, France, Britain and several others, the move could yet be opposed by the big players in Mediterranean fishing: Spain, Italy, and Malta, the centre of the European bluefin industry.
"If agreed, the Cites' vote in March 2010 would result in a ban on international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna," said the commission.
The depleted stocks of the fish in the Mediterranean have hit almost extinction levels, according to experts, with bluefin tuna thought to below 18% of the total in 1970.
Stocks of the fish were decimated throughout the 1990s. Around 80% of the bluefin tuna caught in the Mediterranean is exported to Japan for conversion into sushi after the fish have been fattened for several months in European fish farms.
"Bluefin tuna has become endangered because of disgraceful fisheries management in the EU. The suspension of trade is a last resort and it merely buys the EU time to put its fisheries management in order," said Saskia Richartz of Greenpeace.
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- tags:
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