Japan annually consumes 80 per cent of all bluefin tuna catches worldwide. (Photo: YouTube)

Japan proposes ban on bluefin tuna

JAPAN
Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 00:40 (GMT + 9)

Japan proposed imposing a tuna fishing ban on countries that may be exceeding their Atlantic bluefin tuna quotas starting next year at an international conference on bluefin tuna conservation. Countries would have to plan to abide by regulations before the onset of the fishing season and obtain permission from a compliance committee to be able to fish for the species.

The proposal was taken to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) after Japan found that sanctioning violators after the fishing season was a fruitless effort, according to officials from Japan's Fisheries Agency, and in response to rampant overfishing of the prized species.

Since the beginning of the ICCAT sessions last week, it has been learned that several countries have violated regulations for the protection of bluefin and failed to provide the documents necessary to prove they have followed the rules, said sources close to the conference, reports Mainichi Japan.

The proposal focused on countries along the Mediterranean coast that trawl for bluefin tuna.

Countries that do not demonstrate they will honour catch quotas "should not engage in fishing in 2011," asserted chief delegate Masanori Miyahara at an ICCAT closed-door session, AFP reports.

Miyahara noted at the meeting that his country recently and unprecedentedly rejected more than 3,000 tonnes of Atlantic bluefin shipments as a result of irregularities in the exporters’ documentation. He also said that Tokyo, if necessary, would move to suspend tuna fishing entirely.

"According to our reading, the science does not require that level of severe measure this year. But in future, if it is necessary, we are ready to take those measures," he declared.

However, Japan’s proposal may face challenges because other countries wish to steeply reduce quotas instead, claiming this approach is more effective than a fishing ban, and remain critical of Japan for consuming 80 per cent of the globe’s bluefin tuna.

"Japan has the key, and the means to convince fishing countries to accept the necessary conservation measures," said Sergi Tudela, a fisheries expert at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Spain. "The decision on bluefin will be an agreement between Japan and the European Union (EU)." 

Meeting in Paris until Saturday, the 48-member Commission works to establish the rules and quotas for Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing and their compliance.

Related articles:

- EU reaches 'pitiful' compromise on tuna position 
- European nations agree on ambiguous position for bluefin tuna 

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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