- Title: SPAIN: CITES debates whether to ban international trade in Bluefin Tuna
- Date: 18th March 2010
- Summary: ALMADRABA FISHERMEN CHECKING FISHING NETS CLOSE UP OF ALMADRABA FISHERMAN CHECKING A FISHING NET CLOSE UP OF AN ALMADRABA FISHERMAN VARIOUS OF ALMADRABA FISHING BOATS IN DRY DOCK VARIOUS OF A CARPENTER REPAIRING AN ALMENBRADA FISHING BOAT WIDE OF RIVER AND ENTRANCE TO DRY DOCK WITH VARIOUS ROTTING HULLS OF OLD FISHING BOATS ROTTING HULK OF OLD FISHING BOAT SITTING IN WATER BY RIVER BANK
- Embargoed: 2nd April 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: International Relations,Environment / Natural World
- Reuters ID: LVA92UMAA8KJWTR8U5UYBWQ3232F
- Story Text: Traditional tuna fishing communities in Spain are nervously awaiting the outcome of current CITES talks on endangered species in Doha (Qatar) because they say a proposed ban on the international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna would spell ruin for their livelihoods.
The 175-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES is to debate the proposal made by Monaco on grounds that bluefin tuna, the species prized by sushi lovers, needs to recover from commercial overfishing.
France, Italy and Spain account for half of the world's total allowable catch of bluefin tuna.
Managing Director of the Almadraba Organisation, Marta Crespo, says she believes that if bluefin tuna is included on a list of endangered species that a ban on international trade would cripple the local traditional Almadrabas fishing industry which dates back thousands of years.
"In the case of Andalucia we would lose the oldest western tradition which is that of the Almadraba. It has existed for 3,000 years in perfect ecological balance. It's not just about the economic impact but all the history connected to the Almadraba," she said.
Crespo added that of the 2,300 people involved in tuna fishing in Spain, all but 100 work with traditional methods. Traditional fishermen are not responsible for the precarious state of fish stocks, she argues. She lays the blame for over-exploitation of tuna on industrial purse seine fleets.
If bluefin tuna is included in a CITES international trade ban the livelihoods of traditional fishermen such as fishing boat captain Joaquin Pachego, of Barbate in Spain's Andalucia province would be threatened.
"Where would we go? If there is no work for there younger generation who are 20 and 30 years old in Spain and Europe, where would we go, those of us like me who are 40 or 50 years old?" Pachego asked.
Almadraba tuna fisherman Agustin Rivera wants the operations of industrial fishing fleets to be banned but not the work of traditional fishermen.
"We hope they stop the industrial fleets and let the traditional fishermen and the Almadrabas continue because we have done the least damage to the species," Rivera said.
Barbate's fishermen say that, whereas industrial fleets catch immature and smaller tuna which destroys fish stocks, their Almadraba tuna fishing methods target mature tuna averaging around 180kg, far heavier than the present lower limit of 30kg, the average weight at which bluefin tuna reaches reproductive maturity.
The U.N. General Assembly has declared 2010 the international year of biodiversity and the CITES Conference is one of the key occasions which governments will have this year to take action to protect biodiversity. The convention will run until March 25. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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