Bluefin Tuna Ban In France

France and China are both opposed to a proposed worldwide ban on Bluefin Tuna – France have said that they will wait for the outcome of a scientific report, which is not due until May 2011. The ban is being backed by the European Union and the United States.

The 175-nation UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species is in ongoing talks with the two countries looking for this worldwide ban, as they are worried that overfishing is doing irreversible damage to Bluefin Tuna stocks.

Japanese and French ministers are to meet today about the ban; Japan currently buys three-quarters of the worlds Bluefin Tuna. As you would expect, Japan is campaigning to stop catches in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean from falling under CITES’ Appendix I – this is an outlaw of all commerce.

It is common knowledge that Bluefin Tuna is being overfished, a number of environmental groups are warning that these fish are facing a disappearance. This fish is one of the most popular dishes for sushi and sashimi.

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