WWF–UK have expressed their delight that the UK Government has taken a strong position calling for an international trade ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna.

The UK has lent its support for an Appendix I listing at the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) meeting in Doha this year. With support from Italy, France and the UK, pressure is now mounting on Spain, who hold the EU presidency, other EU member States and the European Commission to follow suit.

Heather Sohl, Species Trade & Policy Officer at WWF-UK, says: “An international trade ban is the last hope for threatened Atlantic bluefin tuna, following decades of overfishing and mismanagement of the remaining stocks. UK support for this ban is crucial and WWF is delighted that the UK Government has shown a strong commitment to protect this species. We hope this announcement will build further momentum towards agreement of an immediate and unconditional Appendix I listing at the CITES meeting in March.”

The announcement yesterday follows an earlier statement by the French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo that France supports the listing of Atlantic bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Italy had already voiced its support for the Appendix I listing last week, along with suggesting a three-year suspension of industrial fishing.

The proposed listing on CITES Appendix I was originally tabled by the Principality of Monaco.  Fisheries experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and the scientific committee of the management commission for this fishery (ICCAT) have both confirmed that Atlantic bluefin tuna meets the criteria for listing on CITES Appendix I.