The conservationist group WWF said in a report that Italy exceeds its quota of bluefin tuna in 2007 by five times. This shows that rules meant to save the giant fish from extinction were failing. The report mention that Italy was 700 tonnes over quota and has a fishing fleet capable of landing twice what it is legally allowed.
Michele Candotti of WWF, formerly the World Wildlife Fund, informed that Italy’s illegal activity in the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery is a clear and present threat to this magnificent species. It jeopardises the future of those trying to fish this resource in a sustainable and legal way.
There were legal proceedings launched by Italy against the European Commission for curtailing the hunting season. Italy says it did not reach its tuna quota this year due to the European ban which also applies to Cyprus, France, Greece, Malta and Spain. But as per the European Commission some Italian tuna fishing vessels exceeded their quota by between 100 and 240 percent this year.
According to WWF it would present its findings to the Commission and to the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which sets quotas and is due to meet next in November to review conservation measures. The organization is calling for a moratorium on bluefin tuna hunting to allow stocks to recover from what it says are levels that endanger the species’ survival.
