New Bluefin Tuna Quota Levels Are A “Mockery of Science”
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY 
on 11.25.08
photo: NOAA
You may have read how a bit over a week ago a number of environmental groups were calling on the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (Iccat) to cut quota levels for bluefin tuna to protect that species from overfishing and collapse.
Groups’ Recommendations Ignored
Well, in a move which has been called a “mockery of science” Iccat has not cut quota levels. The total allowable catch (Tac) for next year being maintained at 22,000 tonnes—seven thousand tonnes above the recommended level of 15,000 tonnes necessary to prevent collapse of the fishery. But that wasn’t the only recommendation gone unheeded:
Conservation groups were also advising that fishing be banned outright during the spawning months of May and June, but Iccat reject that proposal as well.
“Icaat Doesn’t Deserve to Manage This Species”
Sergi Tudela of WWF commented on the lack of action to the BBC:
The spawning closure was probably more important than the Tac issue because actually the Tac was never respected. It was the one thing that might have stopped overfishing. The decision is a mockery of science and a mockery of the world; Iccat has shown that it doesn't deserve the mandate to manage this iconic fishery.
The BBC also pointed out that the stock of East Atlantic bluefin tuna has fallen so quickly that there is a possibility of it being listed as an endangered species; the southern bluefin tuna is currently listed as critically endangered.
More at: BBC News
Bluefin Tuna, Overfishing
US Should Push for Bluefin Tuna Fishing Moratorium, Conservation Groups Say
Fishing Ban Enacted for Bluefin Tuna in Eastern Atlantic & Mediterranean
Overfishing Update: Endangered Atlantic Bluefin on the Menu at Nobu in London, EU to Reconsider Common Fishing Policy
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The fight in Panama is to force the lawmakers to throw out the modifications they made to the existing law in order to allow the industrial fisheries stop destroying the Coiba Island Park reserve with their large net arrays.
The fisheries also want to install farms on the opposite side of the island, the Veraguas coast. Their runoff and contaminating residue would spoil the already endangered region.
Funny that ICCAT's "Contact Us" link seems to be broken.
Boycott fish and the fishing industry, people need to be told what their fish eating habits are destroying the earth.
It appears that Iccat has it's own agenda of ensuring the collapse of the species of Bluefin Tuna.
Just as the US is about to get an EPA worthy of it's name it throws the spotlight on these other sham organisations.
I hate to say it but it's probably going to take the collapse of one of these fish species before there is any real regulation.
One of the theories I've read as to why the Jewish faith does not allow eating pork is completely environmental. People love pork. Its delicious. The problem with raising pigs in the middle east is many fold however. They eat the same things people do, they are ill adapted to the climate, they require a large investment in time. They need lots of water. But people love pork.
These ancient people had to say that GOD didn't want you to eat pork to get rid of the environmentally unsustainable (for the area) practice of raising pigs. We'll probably Have to go that far to protect the tuna.