The future of bluefin tuna
The fate of Atlantic bluefin tuna will be decided at the CITES meeting in March. Credit: Marco Care/Marine Photobank
In the run up to the CITES meeting this month, Italy and France have changed their positions on the EU bluefin tuna trade ban, the UK has lent its support to an Appendix I listing, and the European Parliament looks set to do the same.
An Appendix I listing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) means that the international trade of bluefin tuna would be banned. CITES members will meet from 13-15 March in Doha, Qatar to make their decision.
At the end of January, Italy’s Antonio Buonfiglio, senior official for fisheries, confirmed that Italy had shifted its position and was “open” to an Appendix I listing.
Next, France joined Italy in announcing its support for the measure, but called for the postponement of the measure for the next two fishing seasons and to review it before it comes into force
Speaking at a press conference in Paris, French environment minister Jean-Louis Borloo and fisheries minister Bruno Le Maire said that France would support the listing of bluefin tuna under Appendix I.
Then the UK Government took a strong position calling for an international trade ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna, and the European Parliament voiced its support for the ban. However, MEPs called for financial compensation for the tuna fishing sector that would be affected.
In the resolution, adopted by show of hands, MEPs urged the Commission and the EU Member States to ban the international trade in bluefin tuna subject to the following conditions:
- A general derogation for domestic trade, allowing traditional coastal fishing to continue
- EU financial support for seafarers and vessel owners affected
- Tighter controls and tougher penalties to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
The Council was expected to take a decision on the EU's position after World Fishing went to press.
However, not all organisations are showing support for Appendix I listing - Europêche and Cogeca Fisheries have called on the Commission and Member States “not to submit to pressure from environmentalists to decide in favour of introducing bluefin tuna into any one of the CITES annexes”.
Europêche President, Javier Garat, and the chairman of the Cogeca Fisheries section, Giampaolo Buonfiglio, sent a letter to the Commission stating that that the latest conclusions from independent scientists did not suggest introducing Atlantic bluefin tuna into Appendix I of CITES.
The organisations state that the European Union’s Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) recently concluded in a report that bluefin tuna stocks were not under threat of exhaustion: “Given that the stock has the potential to rebuild if ICCAT Rec. 08-04 is implemented and rigorously enforced, STECF concludes that the Western Atlantic bluefin stock is not threatened with extinction”.
The organisations claim that this view is shared by scientists from ICCAT who have noted positive recruitment, a sign that the number of juveniles is increasing.
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