Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishing is “spiralling out of control” according to a recent meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
According to scientists gathered at the meeting, French fishing fleets are reporting bluefin tuna catches of more that 50 per cent in excess of their official quota.
Although France's quota for fishing bluefin tuna was 6,192 tonnes in 2005, its fleets reported 9,455 tonnes of catches.
It is suspected that France is not alone in it's illegal fishing – the EU as a whole is likely to be exceeding its quota.
The scientists have also launched an alarm call that if no action is taken, bluefin tuna will soon be lost forever.
