Government urged to back bluefin tuna ban

Environmental organisation Din L-Art Ħelwa has called on the government to back a proposal to list bluefin tuna as an endangered species to save if from potential extinction.

The local NGO joined a chorus of international environmentalists who want the species to be included on the UN's Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).

The lobbying comes as this week, the 48 contracting parties of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) hold a string of meetings that will influence the future of this type of fishing.

The commission's stand on the topic will have a strong impact on the outcome of a UN meeting scheduled for March, during which the bluefin's eligibility for scheduling will be decided.

Last September, the European Commission recommended that the EU support a temporary suspension of the global trade of bluefin tuna. But the recommendation was shot down by Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Spain, France and Italy - all countries with a stake in the trade.

Prince Albert of Monaco then formally proposed listing the tuna in the Cites list.

Despite the Mediterranean member states' opposition, the European Commission is still hoping it will manage to turn the tables and find the necessary majority in time for the UN meeting. This will depend on obtaining a qualified majority among EU member states.

The bluefin tuna catch in Europe last year totalled 11,400 tonnes, according to a report released by ICCAT. The report attributed a catch of 590 tonnes to Malta.