10 Sep 2008 - WWF
welcomes the conclusions reached by an independent
expert panel that all activity should be
suspended in the Mediterranean bluefin tuna
fishery, and sanctuaries should be created
in all main spawning areas as a matter of
urgency in order to save the endangered
species.
The International Commission
for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
– the fisheries management body whose members
are tasked with sustainably managing the
fishery – itself commissioned the independent
performance review, conducted by a panel
of international fisheries experts whose
conclusions have just been published.
The performance review
report, seen by WWF, is scathing of the
failure by ICCAT to manage East Atlantic
and Mediterranean bluefin tuna, a species
now under serious threat of imminent collapse:
“ICCAT Contracting Parties’
performance in managing fisheries on bluefin
tuna, particularly in the eastern Atlantic
and Mediterranean Sea, is widely regarded
as an international disgrace and the international
community which has entrusted the management
of this iconic species to ICCAT deserve
better performance from ICCAT than it has
received to date,” states the review.
Referring to the blatant
disregard for scientific advice in the current
management plan, and the widespread lack
of compliance, the review concludes that
the only option is to close the Mediterranean
bluefin tuna fishery until sustainable practice
is put in place:
“Large catches of juveniles
are believed to continue to occur in some
areas, catches of larger, more successful
spawners have increased substantially, new
purse seiners continue to be added to the
fleets and fishing has expanded in areas
that previously acted as refugia. (…) Contracting
Parties of ICCAT have failed to abide by
their legal obligations under international
law, have failed to conserve bluefin tuna
and have failed in the eyes of the international
community. (…)”
“The panel recommends
that all fishing for East Atlantic and Mediterranean
bluefin tuna be immediately suspended until
the Contracting Parties involved in those
fisheries, their nationals and companies
operating in their waters, agree to fully
abide by the rules and recommendations of
ICCAT and international fisheries law (…)
and further recommends that ICCAT consider
an immediate closure of all known bluefin
tuna spawning grounds at least during spawning
periods.”
“Such staggering conclusions
from independent experts only reinforce
what WWF has been saying for years – this
is a fishery grossly out of control, and
if the fishery is not closed now pending
radical management overhaul, this majestic
species may be confined to the history books,”
says Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries
at WWF Mediterranean.
The ICCAT independent
review panel members are: Glenn Hurry, Chief
Executive Officer of the Australian Fisheries
Management Authority, and current Chair
of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries
Commission; Moritaka Hayashi, Professor
Emeritus of International Law at Japan’s
Waseda University; and Jean-Jacques Maguire,
Canadian international fisheries scientist.
ICCAT Contracting Parties
will meet in Marrakech, Morocco, from 17-24
November 2008 when fresh management decisions
on the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery
will be taken.
Gemma Parkes
WWF Mediterranean Communications Officer
