Tuna commission comes up with "a disgrace, not a decision"

WWF is convinced that hunting, fishing and gathering by Inuit (indigenous Canadian communities) in Nunavut is the only use that has a chance to out-compete more damaging industrial uses of the landscape and the seas.

The hunt does not threaten the seals and if you deny the rights of these indigenous people to hunt, fish and gather wildlife in the region, much of this wildlife would be lost forever.

WWF understands that many people around the world feel strongly about the animal welfare aspects of the commercial seal hunt.

There have been legitimate questions raised concerning the enforcement of regulations that are supposed to ensure the hunt is humane.As a conservation organization, this is not an area where WWF has expertise but we encourage people to contact International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Canadian Sealers Association with their concerns. To read about this subject, please visit: http://www.panda.org/faq/response.cfm?hdnQuestionId=11320030954082

WWF IS ANOTHER DISGRACE - for WWF supporting canadian seal clubbers. WWF does not oppose canadian seal scalping and canadian seal bludgeoning. In fact, WWF advocates it along with the Canadian DFO which runs the hunt.

WWF also supports hunters, and animal killing. This may surprise you If you thought WWF helped animals, Do not donate or patronize WWF until this behaviour by WWF is halted. Members: use your vote, to vote out those in WWF administration who continue to support killings, and/or yank your donations and give it to either the Humane Society, HSUS, IFAW, ASPCA, or another organization you enjoy that is not professing to help, while unknown to you, using your money to support seal clubbers and animal killers.

This is a pirate fishery, where there is clearly a massive lack of control and compliance. Even if the scientific advice had been adhered to at its most conservative in the management plan decided at this week's ICCAT meeting, that would still not bring any guarantees - there is just too much illegal fishing going on in this fishery. The fact that the data shows such "lack of accuracy" and "large uncertainties", and that there is such imbalanced and incomplete reporting - highlighted in WWF reports but also indeed in ICCAT's own independent experts' review - should have made it even more imperative to not only reduce catch and extend seasonal closures, but to go further and shut down the entire fishery until the facts are on the table. Would you leave your house unlocked if you thought there might be robbers prowling the streets? Would you jump off a bridge if you weren't certain the bungee was attached? 'Precuationary principle' is a scientific buzz phrase but it makes sense and it is one by which most of us lead our lives. This year's ICCAT meeting in Marrakech was all the more disappointing given the widespread allegations of the EU bullying smaller and developing countries out of supporting the scientifically based management proposal - threatening them with trade retaliations. 'Keep supporting the conservationist proposal and we'll stop buying your bananas.' I know it happened. I was there. WWF has also in the past been at the receiving end of mafia death threats for trying to heed science by reducing catches and capacity in this imperilled fishery. Is that any responsible way to manage the earth's fragile resources? WWF wants to see a thriving fishery in the years to come. I'd like to eat tuna when I'm 106! And to ensure that possibility (assuming longevity) WWF is encouraging consumers - as well as chefs and shops around the world - to boycott the fish until things are back under control. And given the repeated failure of ICCAT to heed the science, and the lack of certainty on where things are leading, WWF is also actively investigating a trade ban - by applying to list Mediterranean tuna, officially "endangered" according to the IUCN Red List, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). ICCAT's boast for over 40 years has been that it follows science in the sustainable management of Atlantic tunas - and it is clearly failing in that mandate and mission. We cannot just stand aside and let a bunch of businesspeople decide the fate of one of the princes of the oceans, and jeopardise the long-term survival of fishing jobs whose traditions go back thousands of years - can we?

Let's see then, if there's uncertainty in scientists' figures then you can assume there's probably more rather than possibly less fish out there? And the consequences if you guess higher and get it wrong? The agreed catch is way higher than the scientists upper estimate.

I have to say I cannot believe the idiocy of this decision! So shortsighted and pushed through by EU suits using threats! What - the EU does business mafia style now? How distasteful. And what about the local fisherman whose long term livelihoods depend on these fish? Stay by an eventually empty sea while the bureaucrats go home to Brussels?

You guys are idiots... and soon will reduce the fishery to a level that will not support a commercial fishery then you will whine about the fishery dying... But keep it up as it will make my salmon worth all the more!!

I agree this is inaccurate... it fails to mention:
independent review:
The Panel found that the lack of data and the lack of accuracy of data that was reported introduced large uncertainties in three stock assessments undertaken by the SCRS.
• The Panel notes that CPCs have an obligation to collect and make available relevant information to assess the status of the resources and the effect of exploitation on them, but few comply within the agreed time limits.
• CPCs should adopt a precautionary approach to the management of fisheries on fish stocks where data are poor or lacking.

The Panel found the management of fisheries on bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and the regulation of bluefin farming to be unacceptable and not consistent with the objectives of ICCAT. This finding coupled with the published statements from the European Community (EC) has prompted the Panel to recommend to ICCAT the suspension of fishing on bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean until the CPCs fully comply with ICCAT recommendations on bluefin.

and from the scientific committee:
There are considerable data limitations for the assessment of the stock. These include poor temporal and spatial coverage for detailed size and catch- effort statistics for many fisheries

and that quotas have never been respected, and that laws have never been enforced, and and and...

so wether the quota is set at 22000 0r 19950 tonnes doesn't really matter. it is words on paper that no one cares about.

This article is highly inaccurate. The proposal for 15000 tonnes was separate from the one to close the May - June season (which you call the spawning season). Japan and Iceland did not support the latter. In fact Japan was incorrectly included in that proposal.

There are other inaccuracies and information left out - Next year will be 22,000 but under far stronger compliance measures than earlier. 2010 will be 19,950 and 2011 18,500 but this is still all subject to review in the next meeting.

Of course WWF fails to mention that the "Scientific committee" was under heavy attack for being very uncertain of their results.