Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is an emblematic species that has been driven toward extinction by overfishing (mainly due to the industrial purse seine fishery and their capture for fattening in cages) and international trade. The bluefin tuna is a predator and, as such, is in the highest positions in the food chain, playing an … Read more
The bluefin tuna fishery closes today for most industrial seiners, except for those that have requested additional days due to bad weather. The fishing season was marked by illegality and lack of transparency. Oceana points to the Italian and Turkish fleets as the main cause of overfishing. Oceana also points out that the end … Read more
Oceana, the international marine conservation organisation, and Fundación Marviva have been urging the Commission to support the listing of bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Last week it sent letters to the President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs … Read more
In a letter addressed to Joe Borg, the EU commissioner responsible for fisheries and maritime affairs, Xavier Pastor, the executive director of Oceana in Europe, asked Spain to support the proposal to include bluefin tuna in the CITES convention on endangered species. In the last month, various Member States, including those with interests in bluefin … Read more
Oceana and Marviva are disappointed at the irresponsible behaviour of EU member states in today rejecting support for the Monaco proposal to add bluefin tuna to CITES Appendix I. The proposal, which was intended to ban international trade in order to preserve the species, was strongly opposed by Mediterranean countries. Xavier Pastor, Executive Director for … Read more
Last night, United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) decided to support Monaco’s proposal for listing Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Oceana and MarViva welcome this important effort towards bluefin tuna conservation. Monaco proposal, if agreed in the upcoming Conference of the Parties … Read more
Recife (Brazil).- Today, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas agreed to weak management measures for bluefin tuna, ignoring the only acceptable measure that would have recovered this depleted stock: the total closure of the fishery. Xavier Pastor, Executive Director of Oceana in Europe remarked: “ICCAT’s credibility was in the hands of … Read more
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) will meet in Recife, Brazil, next week to determine the future of commercially valuable bluefin tuna, whose populations have plummeted over recent decades. ICCAT is also expected to take up the issue of controlling shark catches and finning as agreed upon at the Second Joint … Read more
Today it’s all about last-day expectations. All important discussions have been put off for today’s plenary. The reopening of the bluefin tuna, sharks and corals debates will depend upon the support of the parties. Today we may obtain more protection for more species… or be doomed to lose them. Finally CITES failed to ban the … Read more
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We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.
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