In the build-up for the CITES meeting in Doha on Saturday, EU member nations have agreed on supporting a bluefin tuna trade ban – with reservations.
In Doha, Qatar, on March 13-25, 175 nations will meet to consider including the bluefin tuna and other threatened species in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Annex 1, which would in effect mean no more international trade in this commodity.
The US has already come out in unconditional support for such a ban, while the EU okays an exemption for fishers using “traditional methods” – a term that is not more clearly defined – and a postponing of the ban for a year.
Malta was the only member voting against an Annex 1 inclusion, while Sweden and Austria abstained. A Swedish Government source explained they abstained because they thought the EU standpoint was not enough far-reaching.
Japan, which consumes three quarters of the global bluefin tuna catch – the species is a price ingredient in sushi – is the only strong opponent to the ban. In order for the CITES meeting to adopt the ban, it has to reach a two-thirds majority, and Japan aims at gathering a blocking one-third-plus minority.
Environmentalists welcomed the EU decision – with reservations.
“With the two largest holders of bluefin tuna fishing quota on either side of the Atlantic – the US and EU – now supporting the trade ban, other countries should follow suit,” said Sergi Tudela, head of WWF’s Mediterranean fisheries campaign.
The marine conservation organizations Oceana and MarViva said in a joint press release that they acknowledged the EU “efforts”, but added that they were “concerned about some conditions and implementation delays that were agreed in the proposal, which differ substantially from the immediate and direct ban proposed by the Principality of Monaco and openly supported by the USA”.
“We regret that the EU’s support has been conditioned with a number of measures that could seriously weaken this measures’ entry into force”, said Xavier Pastor, Executive Director of Oceana in Europe.