26 Jan 2007 - Kobe, Japan – Government members of the world’s
five tuna regional management organizations, meeting this
week in Japan, have failed to agree on an action plan to
help reverse the decline in tuna stocks and to stop the
plundering of these valuable species, says WWF.
Governments failed to agree on concrete action to reduce
fishing capacity to sustainable levels, ensure legally caught
supplies of tuna to markets, reduce the fisheries’ bycatch
of species like turtles, seabirds and sharks, and ensure
that developing countries can enter tuna fisheries sustainably.
Despite Japan’s and other governments’ admission that tuna
stocks are in a critical state, that urgent action is needed,
and that solutions already exist, they have failed to agree
any concrete actions. Their only agreement was to gather
more data and talk more often. WWF believes this inaction
will result in further depletion of tuna populations, degradation
of the oceans, loss of tuna to eat and ultimately lead to
a loss of livelihoods across the world.
“Tax payers should hold these officials responsible for
failing to do their duty to protect the tuna we eat and
the environment we are dependent on,” said Dr Simon Cripps,
Director of WWF’s Global Marine Programme.
“More than 200 officials have travelled to Japan with little
achieved except a plan to hold more meetings. We hold government
representatives personally responsible for reversing the
decline in tuna populations.”
Regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) are
the main mechanism developed by countries to regulate fishing
on the high seas — areas beyond national law — where most
tuna catches occur. Despite efforts by some governments
within tuna RFMOs, global tuna stocks are critically depleted
and some species, such as bluefin tuna, used for high-end
sushi and sashimi, are at high risk of collapse.
The responsible tuna fishing sector is realizing that they
can still take action to ensure their business is put on
a more sustainable footing. Recent pledges from major retailers,
such as Wal-Mart, and demand for seafood from well managed
stocks, such as those with the Marine Stewardship Council
(MSC) ecolabel, give consumers the option to support the
legitimate fishing sector and bypass intransigent government
officials.
“Governments wasted the opportunity to show global leadership
to ensure a future for tuna and dependent fishing communities,
especially small island states,” added Dr Cripps. “The spotlight
now turns onto the responsible fishing industry and the
retail sector. We, the consumers, need to give them our
support.”
WWF urges the members of ICCAT, meeting next week in Tokyo,
to close the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery during the
entire spawning season and to halve the current quota to
retrieve the stock from the brink of commercial extinction.
Jessica Battle, WWF Global Marine Programme