The Spanish government said today that it plans to wait for the results of a scientific study this year before deciding whether to back a temporary worldwide ban on bluefish tuna fishing.

Spain, like Malta and Italy, is objecting to the the proposed ban which appears to be heading for EU approval.

The European Union on Tuesday gave its provisional backing for such a ban, which would throw the huge market for Japanese sushi into turmoil.

Spain's ministry of agriculture noted that a scientific study on the issue is be released next month, and the results will be analysed at a meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas in November.

The ministry recommended waiting for the study "before adopting other conservation measures."

According to a proposal put to CITES, the UN agency against illegal wildlife trade, tuna stocks are so fragile that the species should be classified as being under threat of extinction.

Some 80 percent of Atlantic bluefin tuna fished out of the Mediterranean ends up in the Japanese market.

Spain, home to Europe's largest fishing fleet, has around 200 trawlers that catch bluefin tuna, according to the ministry of agriculture.

See also

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090910/local/government-urged-to-resist-proposal

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