"This scientific evidence clearly indicates that northern bluefin tuna are
severely depleted and a ban on international trade is not only justified, but
critically needed to stop the bluefin tuna's downward spiral towards
extinction," said Phil Kline, a senior oceans campaigner with Greenpeace and
former commercial fisherman. "Not only does the fate of this magnificent species
hang in the balance but so does the future of our commercial and recreational
fisheries."

Madrid, Spain - - Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for a ban on
international trade, according to global scientists of the International
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). This official
assessment of bluefin’s extreme stock decline has been welcomed by major
environment groups WWF and Greenpeace.

The scientists met in Madrid, Spain (21-23 October) to assess current stock
status of Atlantic bluefin tuna against the specific criteria necessary to list
a species under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES).

ICCAT’s scientists estimate that the current spawning biomass is less than 15
per cent of what it once was before fishing began – meaning Atlantic bluefin
tuna meets the criteria for a CITES Appendix I listing.

Further, the scientists’ analyses confirmed that a suspension of commercial
fishing is the only measure with a substantial chance of ensuring that the stock
no longer meets the criteria for CITES Appendix I by 2019.

“What’s needed to save the stocks is a suspension of fishing activity and a
suspension of international commercial trade – this is the only possible package
that can give this fish a chance to recover,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of
Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “We must stop mercilessly exploiting this
fragile natural resource until stocks show clear signs of rebound and until
sustainable management and control measures are firmly put in place.”

On 14 October the Principality of Monaco submitted a CITES Appendix I listing
proposal to temporarily ban international commercial trade and allow the species
to recover from years of ineffective fisheries management and control.

“The ICCAT scientists have made formal what we have been saying all along – that
Atlantic bluefin tuna is balancing precariously on the edge of collapse, and
only drastic measures can now ensure this endangered species gets a fighting
chance of recovery,” added Sebastian Losada, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace
International. “The extent of the failure by ICCAT members to act responsibly
and preserve our marine environment can no longer be ignored. Atlantic bluefin
tuna has been subject to decades of massive overfishing and overexploitation and
time is running out to save this species”

“Independent of what ICCAT decides to do in November, the science is undeniable
that Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for a suspension of trade through
a CITES Appendix I listing – and if ICCAT stops the fishing too, so much the
better for this species,” added Sergi Tudela of WWF.

WWF and Greenpeace urge ICCAT to impose a zero quota at the organization’s next
annual meeting on 6-16 November in Recife, Brazil. Interest will focus on what
ICCAT does with the advice of its own scientists; in the past, the advice of
ICCAT’s scientists has been largely disregarded.

The verdict from ICCAT’s scientific committee will be submitted to the 48
Contracting Parties when they meet in Recife. The next Conference of the Parties
of CITES, meanwhile, is in Doha, Qatar, in March 2010, when WWF and Greenpeace
are calling on the 175 CITES member countries to vote in favour of an Atlantic
bluefin tuna Appendix I listing.

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