The End of the Line
Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:37 am – Posted by Mandy | 4 Comments
Blogger: Forest & Bird Marine Advocate, Kirstie Knowles
Our critically endangered Southern Bluefin Tuna swims around the seas of several countries from Australia to Japan – and while these countries are working to reduce their quotas – we are trying to bump ours up by 25%.
Southern Bluefin Tuna, Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Fisheries.
The back-story goes something like this. Five (Japan, Australia, Indonesia, South Korea & NZ) countries work together to set up a Commission for Conservation (estab 1994) for Bluefin Tuna that sets fishing quotas for each country.
However, one of the founding signatories, Japan ( 1994) and recent signees Indonesia (2008), Taiwan (2002) & Korea (2001) have flouted their quota agreements and now New Zealand wants to get even, by putting in a proposal to up its tonnage from 420 – 532 tonnes.
It’s greedy to say the least given that we’re talking about a Critically Endangered Fish. Just recently, the commission has agreed to reduce the total fishing quota by 20%, and yet we want to catch more fish.
It’s like turning around and saying ‘right – we’ve done our bit– and others haven’t, who cares about the endangered listing – lets have our real share, ’
A weak ‘conservation’ commission like this leading a half-hearted attempt to reduce the catch by 20% doesn’t lead to species revival.
Who knows, we may end up in the situation Canada got themselves into in 1994 when their cod population collapsed?
And it wasn’t just the cod that suffered – 40,000 people were left jobless and the government had to fork out 2 billion dollars. It is still closed.
Our Bluefin tuna’s Atlantic cousin – the Atlantic bluefin tuna - is a case in point. Some scientists predict it’ll go in extinct in two to three years – something that is highlighted in our Seaweek movie (a world premiere!) – The End of the Line.
So far over the Ministry of Fisheries has received 1,700 submissions asking it to not increase the quota and to consider a ban on the fishing of Southern bluefin tuna so stocks can recover. It included a submission by Forest & Bird which can be read here. It is expected that a decision on the proposal will be made in a few months time.
I think it is disgraceful that the Ministry of Fisheries can be so short-sighted as to drive an endangered species to extinction. Do they simply not understand what the words ‘critically endangered’ and ‘extiniction’ mean? This is the ignorant attitude we saw with the sealers and whalers back in the 18th century and has no place in the 21st century.
Hi there,
Thanks for the publication of the “Where have all the fish gone?” tabloid, which was useful in that it had scientific references attached. I was wondering whether you could help me out with a query as a non-specialist. The article quotes that only 5% of the un-fished population of the southern bluefin tuna remains. How is the original stock determined? I checked the 2009 report on the Scientific Committee of the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna but couldn’t find anything specifically.
Cheers
Evan
Hi Evan,
As per our offline emails and to inform others who may be interested:
The original biomass - termed unfished biomass or B0 - is calculated using a variety of mathematical models by fisheries scientists. It involves quite complex (and often varied) statistical assessments, which are often central to discussions at the CCSBT technical working group meetings. The B0 estimation is one of the principle parameters by which we can assesses current status of stocks and implement management responses (well,… we are supposed to anyway).
B0 is calculated using the projections derived by inputting existing data into the models.
Should anyone want more detail please get in touch - as Evan did
The End of the Line on DVD is available from Bullfrog Films.