Brussels, 22/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - Unsurprisingly, the European Commission proposed on Monday 22 February to ensure maximum protection for bluefin tuna, a species with stocks running dangerously low (EUROPE 10082). The Commission has recommended that at the forthcoming meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to be held in Doha, Qatar, from 13 to 25 March 2010, the European Union support a ban on the international trade in this species. It proposes that this ban start during the year 2011, but that artisanal fishing may continue to catch bluefin tuna (in accordance with the details which remain to be determined). The proposal provides for no new European funds to compensate the industrial fleet (tuna purse seiners) affected by the ban in trade and therefore on fishing (80% of tuna caught by EU vessels are sold in Japan).
Janez Potoènik, European Environment Commissioner and chef de file on this dossier, pointed out that over the last 60 years, "overfishing has led to a serious decline in stocks" to the extent that today, the Commission continued, the prospects for the survival of bluefin tuna are "very pessimistic, unless measures are taken to protect the species". This overfishing is due to international trade, which has reached a peak over the last 15 years. "There are some large vessels catching tuna in the Mediterranean, transporting them alive to fish farms. They are then exported to Japan, where they are used on the sushi and sashimi markets", said Potoènik. Bluefin tuna is one of the worst-hit species by illegal fishing. ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) has recently taken measures to improve the situation. However, "the latest scientific data show that stocks of bluefin tuna are currently so low that the European Commission believes that this species deserves to be included in Annex I to CITES", the environment commissioner stressed. Annex I includes species threatened with extinction, trade in which is subject to particularly strict rules and authorised only under exceptional circumstances. Including bluefin tuna in Annex I would entail banning international trade in this fish species.
12 months and derogations to allow artisanal fishing to continue. However, the European Commission has proposed that this inclusion should not take effect immediately. The meeting of CITES in Doha would indicate that the entry into force of this inclusion should be decided upon by the CITES standing committee within 12 months. The standing committee would have to base its decision on scientific data to be published next October by the scientific committee of ICCAT. ICCAT would meet and take position in November. If the ban enters into force, the European Commission will take steps to ensure that artisanal fisheries would be permitted to supply the EU market with catches from the waters of the member states.
Maria Damanaki stated that the setting in place of a "special arrangement for vessels practising artisanal fishing constitutes an important part of the solution we are proposing today". Artisanal fishing has a limited impact on stocks and generates more jobs per tuna caught than any of the big industrial vessels. The Commission and the countries of the EU will have to examine how the existing money in the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) can best be used to help fishermen and ship owners cope with the situation, the commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries added.
"We have to act now if we want to have sustainable bluefin tuna fisheries in the future", Damanaki concluded.
France takes the view that the Commission's proposal is a step in the right direction, but believes that two elements need to be improved. According to the Commission, the derogation would apply to artisanal fishing only in waters under national sovereignty (waters up to 12 miles off the national coastlines). However, France would like the derogation to be extended to vessels going beyond 12 miles. Additionally, France is calling for additional European funds to be made available for bluefin tuna fleet restructuring programmes, whereas the Commission is proposing to use funds already allocated under the European Fisheries Fund (2007-2013). Bruno Le Maire, the French fisheries minister, argues that funds under the EFF have already been used.
The Commission's recommendation has yet to be enshrined by the Council of Ministers of the EU, and then by CITES. Japan has already stated that it would not support any ban on the fishing and sales of the species. In half a century, from 1957 to 2007, stocks of bluefin tuna have fallen by 75%, with more than 60% of the decrease in the last 10 years, according to environmental activists. (L.C./transl.fl)