Conservative cut to Atlantic bluefin tuna quota
Updated
Following cuts just weeks ago to Pacific tuna fishing quotas of between 20-30 per cent, the number of Atlantic bluefin tuna allowed to be caught each year will now also be cut by nearly a third. The international commission for the conservation of the fish argues that lowering the quota will help replenish stocks, but environmentalists say it is not good enough.
Presenter: Gloria Kalache, Australia Network
Speaker: Rebecca Lent, Head of US delegation; Susan Lieberman, head of international police for the Pew Environmental Group; Vincent Grimaud, European Union representative
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KALACHE: Atlantic bluefin tuna is a prized catch in places like Japan. A large fish can fetch up to a hundred thousand dollars. But in recent years commercial fishing has seen its numbers dwindle, prompting the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna to reduce next year's quota by nearly a third. The commission's scientific advisers say even a catch of 8,000 tonnes would only allow a 50 per cent chance of the species recovering by 2023.
LENT: The quota next year is 13,500 metric tons. We are not convinced this is sufficiently precautionary.
KALACHE: Environmentalists have also criticised the decision, saying tougher action is needed.
LIEBERMAN: The best thing and the most enforceable is to suspend the fishery. It makes no sense scientifically whatsoever. It's too little too late.
KALACHE: Illegal fishing has contributed to a decline of more than 85 per cent of the bluefin population in the eastern Atlantic. Earlier this year in Monaco, a proposal was put forward to ban international sales of Atlantic bluefin. But it was rejected by several European Union countries. And moves to ban sales have been criticised by the commission's European representative.
GRIMAUD: The position for ICCAT and in particular of the European community was to follow strictly scientific advice, and what scientific advice tells us about the level of total allowable catches is that it should be between 8,000 and 15,000 [tonnes], so those people claiming for zero catches or moratorium are not following scientific advice.
KALACHE: The commission also agreed to ban fisherman from taking bigeye thresher sharks - one of several shark species endangered by overfishing.
