Greenpeace, WWF denounce 'massive fraud' in Med bluefin tuna industry

In a statement, Greenpeace explained how “over the weekend, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), featured in prominent European media, exposed the continued mismanagement and corruption in the bluefin tuna fishery in the Mediterranean.”

“The investigation comes as the EU is about to agree its mandate ahead of an intergovernmental meeting that will decide the future of the fishery.”

Greenpeace and WWF both called for “a massive downscaling of the fishery and for bluefin tuna spawning grounds to be protected.”

Reacting to investigation’s findings, Greenpeace EU oceans policy director Saskia Richartz said “this investigation confirms that a small number of corrupt fishermen and politicians are cashing in on the extermination of bluefin tuna. This fishery is out of control and the EU is the only player who can turn things around.”
   
“France wants its fishermen to fish themselves out of a job rather than admit that the only way to save these jobs and bluefin tuna is to massively downsize the fishery,” he added. “The investigation shows that fisheries officials in France colluded with the bluefin industry to doctor catch numbers and avoid international criticism. France must come clean and support calls in the EU to protect bluefin tuna.”

Greepeace said the International Council for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) will meet in Paris next week (17 – 27 Nov) to set tuna fishing quotas for 2011 and pointed out that the EU is a major player in ICCAT “and is yet to agree a formal position on the future of the fishery.”

“On Tuesday this week, the European Commission will announce its proposed approach for the ICCAT meeting. EU countries will then have to agree on a common mandate.”

Greenpeace summarised the “key findings of the ICIJ investigation” below:

•    Led by the French, Spanish, and Italians, Mediterranean fishermen violated official quotas at will and engaged in an array of illegal practices: misreporting catch size, hiring banned spotter planes, catching undersized fish, and trading fishing quotas. 
•    Fisheries officials in France colluded with the bluefin industry to doctor catch numbers and avoid international criticism.
•    The Bluefin Tuna Catch Documentation Scheme—created by regulators to bring transparency to the trade – is so full of loopholes that its data are almost useless.
•    A widespread, off-the-books trade in bluefin tuna has existed in Japan since at least the mid-1980s, according to a secret report.
•    As EU officials start to crack down, even less accountable fleets are ramping up operations in North Africa and Turkey.
•    EU and national governments protect the bluefin industry with a wall of secrecy, denying public access to records on fishing and ranching violations.