How can so many governments be so short-sighted?
Over the past few months a campaign has gathered pace in Brussels to persuade the EU collectively to back calls for an international trade ban on bluefin tuna.
In case anyone doesn't know this is the most valuable fish in the world. It's prized as the key to a good sushi, with a single fish exchanging for tens of thousands of euros.
And because it's so valuable it's been exploited to....well, to death. The weak management controls on the Mediterranean fishery have been largely ignored, with even the mafia getting involved in the lucrative slaughter. Stocks are now down to less than 8 per cent of the levels of 30 years ago.
After much debate the EU went to the conference on trade in endangered species with a unified position of opposition. Fat lot of good it did. A coalition of countries led by Japan insisted that trade should continue.
How stupid, how short-sighted, how ludicrous is this? The fish is on the verge of becoming extinct but Japan and it's friends don't give a toss. There will be no long term supplies and no jobs for fishermen unless we stop and let them breed, but so long as a few can continue to make money for a while longer they press ahead and hang the consequences.
And thus mankind destroyed its world.
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Well,
If the Japanese want to eat bluefin tuna;
Why do they not farm them, themselves?
Like the Norwegians do, with Salmon.
Or other countries, (eg. Spain)?
Many people like these type of fish, such as a beautiful type of carp,(Carpoi), to put in their aquariums or ponds.
This type of breeding/fishing is legal in the UK.
Because it is Regulated.
And what is the EU going to do about the Bluefin tuna problem now.......?
Or,indeed,others?
NOTHING.
What a surprise.
But ...... who knows?
And God Forbid the Consequences.
Best regards,
D n C
Post a Comment