It is time for ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) to meet in Turkey from 11/9 to 11/18. The forum is "to ascertain sustainable management of East Atlantic bluefin tuna"
Greenpeace has been highlighting the precarious situation of thetuna and the threat it faces from overfishing.
But at the current ICCAT meeting Greenpeace wants immediate action on the immediate threat the Bluefin tuna faces. The fish is facing possible extinction from overfishing and overconsumption. Greenpeace is urging ICCAT to force a moritarium of Mediterranean bluefin tuna fisheries.
Along with Greenpeace the World Wild Life fund is also calling for a moritarium of Mediterranean bluefin tuna fisheries.
First from Greenpeace
AT today’s opening of the annual conference of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Greenpeace climbers have hung a giant banner, reading "Time and Tuna are running out", to warn delegates of the need to take urgent action to save bluefin tuna.
They are in serious trouble. The Med bluefin tuna fishery is worth some US$1bn - in Japan a single tuna can sell for US$ 15,000. But there simply aren't enough bluefin to sustain the world's insatiable appetite. In 1999, we recorded how Med bluefin stocks had declined by 80 percent, and it's getting worse. Rampant over-fishing and pirate fishing is pushing this precious species to the brink of extinction.
"Come on ICCAT - live up to your name."
Conservation is a key word in ICCAT's title. Sadly, most of its 45 member states, including big fishing nations such as Japan, France, Spain and Italy, are missing this crucial point.
Last year ICCAT came up with a "bluefin tuna recovery" plan so pitiful it makes a mockery of the term "recovery." Instead of listening to their own scientific committee, which set a catch quota (how much fish you are allowed to take) of 15,000 tonnes. ICCAT's "recovery plan" virtually doubled this, allowing a quota of 29,500 tonnes.
I guess profits and the whims of industry trumps doing the right thing?
And now the WWF
1 – http://www.fishupdate.com/...
WWF is calling for an immediate three year closure of the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery, to save the species from almost certain collapse if things continue the way they are at present. "Even the urgent advice of ICCAT scientists to protect dwindling stocks has been ignored," says Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. "An immediate moratorium is the only sure way to avoid collapse."
2 – Stricter enforcement and control
Following another season of rampant illegal and uncontrolled fishing, resulting in massive over-quota catches, WWF calls for much stricter monitoring and control. "The Mediterranean bluefin fiasco is the most scandalous case of fisheries mis-management currently happening in the world," says WWF’s Sergi Tudela. "WWF is urging in-depth investigations into the suite of illegalities that have taken place across the fishery again this year."
3 – Sustainable management tomorrow
Once stocks begin recovery, real sustainable management measures closely following scientific advice must be put in place says WWF, for a healthy fishery in the long term. "WWF supports the sustainable exploitation of fish stocks and wants to see a healthy Mediterranean bluefin fishery in years to come," says WWF’s Sergi Tudela. "When the bluefin start recovering, and the problems hampering sustainable management have been addressed, WWF hopes to see a Mediterranean tuna fishery thriving once again."
Looks like we know what needs to be done!
Sebastian Losada Greenpeace Spain Oceans Campaigner summarizes
"In order to protect it from collapse, ICCAT must agree to close the northern bluefin fishery until the population shows signs of sustained recovery, the species' breeding grounds are fully protected, and a proper management regime based on scientific advice is adopted and properly enforced, "In addition, ICCAT must fight Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported (IUU) fishing in all the fisheries it manages and implement the ecosystem approach and precautionary principle to fisheries management that is legally required by international law."
http://www.fishupdate.com/...