Bluefin tuna can breathe a sigh of relief. The EU has closed fishing early for the 2010 season
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himThe bluefin tuna ends up on the tables of Brussels, but more than eating those responsible forUe they decided its fate. After the No of the CITES to the request for protection of the bluefin tuna, the EU today decided to stop the bluefin tuna fishing early. Fishing began on 15 May, and should have ended next 15 June for France, Spain and Greece.
According to data collected by Ansa, since 15 May the French tuna vessels have fished 1.699 tons of bluefin tuna, the Spaniards 803,9 and the Greeks 60 tons. Zero tolerance: this is the climate established by the EU.
"The closure of seine fishing is necessary to protect the limited stock of bluefin tuna," said a spokesperson for European Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki, speaking of the large-scale fishing technique of the bluefin tuna. "France, Greece and Spain have been informed of the decision which takes effect from midnight today".
And Greenpeace's reaction was not long in coming and announced in a press release: “The European Union shouldn't really have opened the fishing season this year. Today's decision comes too late and demonstrates what Greenpeace has been supporting for some time - explained Giorgia Monti, head of the Mare campaign for Greenpeace - the problem is that the fleet in recent years has been upgraded, often with taxpayer subsidies, disproportionately, and has reached a fishing capacity far in excess of what can actually be fished, devastating resources. This is while the scientific community has repeatedly highlighted the crisis in the Mediterranean bluefin tuna stock and the need to stop fishing. These activities are no longer sustainable either from an environmental or an economic point of view ".
And Monti concludes: “The situation is critical: without urgent action the bluefin tuna risks disappearing from our seas. The closing of the fishing season for European vessels comes too late and shows that there is no more time to waste. Tonight the Spanish, French and Greek fishing boats will return to port, but it is necessary that the other Mediterranean countries also immediately stop their fishing activities “.
Francesca Mancuso
