WWF sees EU Commission’s recommendation with doubt that the 27 European Union member countries vote for a ban on international commercial trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna through a listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) at next month’s meeting in Doha, Qatar.
At the same time WWF is concerned about the Commission’s proposal that entry into force of the ban be conditional on new analysis, a procedure which is neither scientifically justified nor allowed under the CITES rules. Dr Sergi Tudela, WWF’s tuna expert, opined that supporting the ban of international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna is growing by the day and this latest announcement from the Commission confirms this.
Tudela explained that WWF welcome the growing support but the conditional delay proposed the EU Commission is simply not allowed by CITES – and neither is it scientifically justifiable. He added that in order to save the fishery there is need to support full implementation of the ban as soon as possible to ensure the species has a chance to recover.
WWF urged the European representatives to drop the conditional implementation proposal and urgently engage the support of the global community for the listing of Atlantic bluefin tuna on CITES Appendix I, which requires the backing of two thirds of the 175 CITES member countries present to be adopted. Tudela said that WWF is highly concerned that the overwhelming acknowledgement of, and growing support for, the necessary ban could be undermined by any conditions which might delay or even derail the process.
