Guilty Planet

CITES Rejects Bluefin Tuna Ban: Another Failure to See Fish as Wildlife

Posted by Jennifer L. Jacquet on March 18, 2010
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The UN has rejected the proposal that Atlantic bluefin tuna be listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, which is currently in session.

CITES regulates the international trade of threatened species. All imports, exports and re-exports of species included in CITES must be authorized by a licensing system that is administered by the individual parties of the convention.

Japan, which imports 80 percent of Atlantic bluefin and has led the opposition to the ban, reiterated its arguments that CITES should have no role in regulating tuna and other marine species. It expressed willingness to accept lower quotas for bluefin tuna but wanted those to come from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, or ICCAT, which currently regulates the trade.

Why shouldn’t CITES play a role? It’s true that CITES has been very reluctant to include marine species, especially ones with commercial value. That’s why fewer than 5% of species listed by CITES are marine species. Also, ICCAT has shown itself to be ineffective. The very notion that Atlantic bluefin tuna were up for listing is evidence.

If this news is not enough, polar bears were also defeated:

The tuna defeat came hours after delegates rejected a U.S. proposal to ban the international sale of polar bear skins and parts, showing that economic interest at this meeting appeared to be trumping conservation.

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Comments

  1. #1 Emily
    March 18, 2010

    It’s a real shame. Do you think bluefin has any chance now?

  2. #2 Eamon
    March 18, 2010

    And the funny thing is that Japan touts itself as the most eco-friendly nation on the planet.

  3. #3 Chris Martell
    March 19, 2010

    Profit before Prudence. It is no small wonder why the capital free market operating system on steroids is under such severe criticism, because free markets without vision and high levels of responsible input (restrictions) are disasters. Our global profit first motives free market has put our entire global economy in to a near collapse mode.

  4. #4 Chris Martell
    March 19, 2010

    I forgot. $220,000 for a 440 pound tuna?!?! Well, I guess they have a lot of vested interest in having their economy devastated.

    Maybe a new global fad needs to be started. Chicken Sushi. While I am just fine with “Tofu” sushi, I could support a chicken sushi. Cooked of course. If we cannot take the fish out of Japanese sushi, maybe we can take the fish out of our Japanese sushi? Or, how about “Jellyfish” sushi. Pour some wasabe, soy sauce and ginger on it, and who would know the difference?

  5. #5 Israel
    March 19, 2010

    No corruption to see here, citizen. Move along.

  6. #6 blog
    March 25, 2010

    Maybe a new global fad needs to be started. Chicken Sushi. While I am just fine with “Tofu” sushi, I could support a chicken sushi. Cooked of course. If we cannot take the fish out of Japanese sushi, maybe we can take the fish out of our Japanese sushi? Or, how about “Jellyfish” sushi. Pour some wasabe, soy sauce and ginger on it, and who would know the difference?

  7. #7 Luna_the_cat
    March 26, 2010

    If bluefin tuna stocks collapse catastrophically, as I expect they must given the current trend and politics, what are the realistic chances that said stocks will ever recover?

    On another note — is there any solid news about the current negotiations to wipe out the ban on whaling that I keep hearing mutters about?

    …Not to depress anyone, or anything.

    @Chris Martell — last I was in Japan (4 years ago now?) they were already starting to serve things like quail’s egg sushi and venison sushi. I expect they already have jellyfish sushi by now, given how many jellyfish they’ve ended up with over the last few years. The Tsukiji fish market HAS been hit by the increasing scarcity of good quality fish stocks, it’s just that this really hasn’t perculated into their national consciousness as something urgent yet, as far as I can tell.

  8. #8 Survival Acres
    March 30, 2010

    Thank you for your blog and the work that you’re doing. The bluefin “failure” is a human failure, our inability to make the right choices is legendary, especially now as we watch the ecosystem fall apart.

    I am struggling myself to find any meaningful answers that aren’t just greenwash / hogwash to the connundrum of connedsumption and contrived “solutions” that don’t actually solve anything.

    The best I can figure out is to make dramatic personal changes in one’s own life, but this will never solve anything as long as the corpocracy media continues to convince connedsumers that they can still “have it all” even when there is little left.

    I (strongly) suspect that we will all witness our own collapse, as opportunities and time pass us by, one by one and we continue to make the wrong choices.

    Even so, please keep up the good work!

  9. #9 Double Glazing
    November 11, 2010

    For an estimation of 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over exploitation through international trade.

  10. #10 mitchy smith
    March 1, 2012

    your a sicko

  11. #11 afrika mangosu
    March 5, 2012

    I can figure out is to make dramatic personal changes in one’s own life, but this will never solve anything as long as the corpocracy media continues to convince connedsumers that they can still “have it all” even when there is little left.

  12. #12 custom essays
    March 27, 2012

    The essay writing just about this topic, the students could find at the term paper writing service. Purchase the pre written essay and custom essays just about this good topic.

  13. #13 manzaralar
    May 15, 2012

    The best I can figure out is to make dramatic personal changes in one’s own life, but this will never solve anything as long as the corpocracy media continues to convince connedsumers that they can still “have it all” even when there is little left.

    I (strongly) suspect that we will all witness our own collapse, as opportunities and time pass us by, one by one and we continue to make the wrong choices.

    Even so, please keep up the good work!