Conservation of Bluefin Tuna GEUC 4011 Senior Seminar Group 166 LEE GA WUN 1008619443 LEE SZE KI 1007602923 IENG KA MAN 1007608173 YUNG WING TUNG 1007623353

Conservation of Bluefin TunaGEUC 4011 Senior Seminar

Group 166LEE GA WUN 1008619443 LEE SZE KI 1007602923IENG KA MAN 1007608173YUNG WING TUNG 1007623353

Research Outline and Objectives

Introduction

Causes of Drastic Decrease of Population

Problems of Depletion

Evaluation of Current Conservative Actions

Recommendations & Conclusion

Objective 1: To boost awareness of the global threat to bluefin tuna

Objective 2: To seek effective ways to ensure bluefin tuna survival

Sources of Data and Information

• Publications－ books, journals, magazines, reports

• Email Interviews － Ms. Gemma Parkes, Communications Officer, WWF

Mediterranean － Ms. Borjana Pervan, Media Relations Officer, IUCN-International

Union for Conservation of Nature• Personal Interview

－ Dr. Allen To, Conservation Officer, Marine, WWF Hong Kong

Sources of Data and Information

• Unsuccessful Attempts – Organizations

• ICCAT• Greenpeace HK/ International

– HK restaurants selling bluefin tuna• Itacho Sushi 板長• Sen-ryo Sushi 千両

– HK restaurants no longer selling bluefin tuna• Yagura at Eaton Hotel 日式居酒屋

Introduction

Introduction

Let’s Eat Bluefin Tuna!!!

Causes Problems Evaluation RecommendationsIntroduction

JAPAN ONE• New year celebration

- Tsukiji Market• Brings good fortune

BLACK GOLD• High-profile promotion in Hong Kong• Mr. Ricky Cheng’s bids for 3 years

Introduction

Please Save The Bluefin Tuna...


• Will disappear in 2012!!!• If each American has a slice of Atlantic bluefin tuna, it

will no longer exist...• International Trade Ban

- The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

• Efforts by the environmental bodies

Introduction

Bluefin Tuna Species


Atlantic bluefin tuna( 大西洋藍鰭吞拿

魚 )

Pacific bluefin tuna( 太平洋藍鰭吞拿

魚 )

Southern bluefin tuna( 南方藍鰭吞拿魚 )

Introduction

Why Study Atlantic Bluefin Tuna?


Atlantic bluefin tuna• Critically endangered• Higher fishing mortality• Sufficient scientific data

IntroductionAtlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)


• Average: 2m long and 250 kg• Can reach 450 kg• Largest among tuna• Warm-hearted• Long distance

champions• Slow-growing

Bright yellow caudal finlets

Short pectoral fin Streamlined body

Metallic blue colour on top,with a gold coruscation

Silvery white colour at the bottom

Introduction

Bluefin Tuna On The Move


Newfoundland

Brazil

Norway

West Africa

Mediterranean Sea

Golf of Mexico

Source: http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/footprint/smart_fishing/sustainable_fisheries/bluefin_tuna/where_they_are_found/

Atlantic bluefin tuna active areas

Atlantic bluefin tuna spawning sites

Introduction

Current Situation


• IUCN: Critically Endangered• Catch amount far exceeds

sustainable level • Mature population

decreased by 74%

Causes of Drastic Decrease of Bluefin Tuna Population

Behavior and BiologyHuman Activities

Behaviour and Biology

• Spawn in the same areas• Mediterranean, the Gulf of Mexico• Reproduce in form of

a large school→ Vulnerable to

commercial fishing• Take 12 years to

reach sexual maturity→ Low reproductive rate


Human Activites

Consumption DemandHistory:


Being eaten for thousands of years

By ancient Greeks• Atlantic bluefin tuna (Mediterranean)• Sliced, salted and pickled it

By Japanese• From inferior lean meat (1830)• to popular Toro (After 1923)

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Assumptions:Production = Consumption

19681972

19761980

19841988

19921996

20002004

20080

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Reported Fishing Production of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Year

Tons

FishStat Plus - Universal software for fishery statistical time seriesSource: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en

http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en

Consumption Markets in 2007:

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Japan56%

France19%

Mexico

5%

Italy

5%

Morocco4%

Greece

4%

Croa-tia2%

Taiwan 2%

Others3%

Local Consumption = [Production + Imports – Exports – Re-exports]

*Limitation: Some countries have negative consumption due to under-reporting.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en


Consumption Trends:

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Extensive promotion (e.g. HK)

Confusing names

Trendy & luxurious

status

Japanese tradition

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Extensive Promotion in HK:

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Confusing Names:Japanese Chinese % of the fish Price /100g

O-toro 上腹 10% HKD 200

Chu-toro 中腹 15% HKD 150

Ju-toro 肚尾 15% HKD 100

Akimi 赤身 30% HKD 75

Common Names

• Hon maguro • 本鮪• 吞拿魚• 金槍魚• 黑鮪魚• 黑甕串

We are being misled!

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Trendy & Luxurious Status:Bluefin Yellow fin

Year 2010 2008 2010

Price (HKD) Extraordinary1 Average2 Extraordinary3 Average2

per head (Wholesale)

1,400,000 150,000 430,000 N/A

per kilogram (Wholesale)

6,000 2,500 1,580 N/A

per slice (Retail) 100 60 50 20

Source:1 Asia Televsion Ltd. (2010, 1 5). 日水產市場藍鰭吞拿近 140萬港元成交 . Retrieved 10 3, 2010, from aTVnews: http://www.hkatvnews.com/v3/share_out/_content/2010/01/05/atvnews_136409.html2 Hong Kong Economic Times. (2010, 1 6). 藍鰭吞拿魚瀕危入口減 6成 . Retrieved 10 3, 2010, from A17 社會要聞 : http://www.hkcsm.com/cgi-bin/h_news_detail.asp?news_date=2010%2F1%2F&D_ID=853 Mingpao.com. (2008, 1 6). 豪氣港商 43萬買吞拿王 50元一片日內供港人品嘗 . Retrieved 10 3, 2010, from Yahoo! News: http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/080105/4/6nb1.html

Privileged food!

http://www.hkatvnews.com/v3/share_out/_content/2010/01/05/atvnews_136409.html

http://www.hkcsm.com/cgi-bin/h_news_detail.asp?news_date=2010/1/&D_ID=85

http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/080105/4/6nb1.html

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Japanese Tradition:

A sushi restaurant in Tsukiji

Tuna for hotpotAnnual Tuna Festival

Human Activites

Consumption Demand


Japanese Tradition:

Tuna is important to them as a treasure and necessity

Human Activites

Advancement in Fishing Technology

Traditionally: • Traps• Handgear


Fishing using harpoon

Human Activites

Advancement in Fishing TechnologyStarted in 1960s:• Purse seine nets• Large fleets • Industrial longline• Spotter aircraft→ Catching juveniles

(less than 6.4kg)→ Overfishing


Large fishing fleetsand purse seine nets

Human Activites

Advancement in Fishing TechnologyGovernment Subsidies

• Fleet renewal• Development of tuna ranching• No published information• Including EU and Japan• 19-20 million euros public aids


Human Activites

Advancement in Fishing TechnologyTuna Ranching


DIFFERENT from fish farming!

Tuna Ranching Tuna Farming

Tuna’s Origin Wild Hatch from eggs under artificial environment

Involved Life Cycle Part of life cycle only A closed life cycle

Human Activites

Advancement in Fishing TechnologyTuna Ranching• Expanded in the late 90s• Fatten wild-caught tunas in cages• Fed with other fish for 6-7 monthsConsequences:• Make them valuable => boost price!• Prohibit juveniles from reproducing


Human Activites

Poorly Regulated Fishing Industry 6 Regional Fisheries Management Organizations(RFMOs)


Human Activites

Poorly Regulated Fishing Industry The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) 大西洋鮪類資源保育委員會

• Founded in 1969

• 48 contracting parties

• Tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas

• Focus on the effects of fishing on stock abundance

• Setting quotas and regulationsCauses Problems Evaluation RecommendationsIntroduction

Human Activites

Poorly Regulated Fishing Industry 5 PROBLEMS


Internal

•Failure to follow scientific advice

•Failure to implement MCS measures

•Failure to implement trade-related measures

External

•Non-compliance of ICCAT regulations

•Laundering bluefin tuna catches

Fishing Industry: Internal Probelm 1

Failure to Follow Scientific Advice• Conservation measures based on science (stock status)

• Total Allowable Catches (TACs)/ Quotas being consistently set higher than recommended


Years TAC set TAC recommended Difference

2003-2006 32,000 tonnes 25,000 tonnes 28% higher

2007-2009 29,500 tonnes 15,000 tonnes 97% higher

Fishing Industry: Internal Probelm 1

Failure to Follow Scientific Advice

• Dissenting members can opt out of any decision made by a voting procedure in ICCAT


Quotas are guidelines, not mandatory

Political pressure > Pressure from conservation groups

Fishing Industry: Internal Probelm 2Failure to Implement MCS Measures

• Monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) of fishing vessels are difficult

• Problems:Data sent via member states to ICCATCountries are not controlling their vessels No 100% observer programme in place

→ Inaccurate data


• Inconsistent measures of different RFMOs • ICCAT has catch limits and trade-related mechanism

in the Atlantic Ocean• No such mechanism in other oceans → Laundering of tuna caught illegally in the Atlantic

Ocean through the Indian and Pacific Oceans

Fishing Industry: Internal Probelm 3Failure to Implement Trade-related Measures


Fishing Industry: External Probelm 1

Non-compliance of ICCAT Regulations

• Report: “Slipping The Net: Spain’s Compliance With ICCAT Recommendations for Swordfish and Bluefin Tuna”

• Report shows Surpassing catch limits Landing undersized fish




Surpassing Catch Limits

• Spain’s catch limits were exceeded by 19%, 58% and 51 % for 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively

• The exceeded catch limits of France, Italy, Japan and Morocco were equally large or greater




Landing Undersized FishStudy Methodology: • Surveys conducted at landing sites• Record landing of bluefin tuna smaller than the

minimum size (6.4 kg)• Allowance: Does not exceed 15% of the number of fish

per landing or percentage by weight




Landing Undersized FishStudy Results: 13 Jul to 30 Sep 1998: Landing of 18,225 bluefin tuna


Origin Total Catches Undersized Catches Percentage

East Atlantic 17,971 fish 9,091 fish 51%

Mediterranean 254 fish 210 fish 83%

• Libya did not submit data from 2002-2004→ Misreporting of catches

• Both industry and Governments did not provide accurate statistical data to ICCAT→ Under-reporting of catches





Laundering Bluefin Tuna Catches

• Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) catches are laundered worldwide“Most of the IUU bluefin tuna caught in the Mediterranean, enters Japan via inspection-friendly fast-growing Chinese and Southeast Asian countries where tuna meat is processed, packed and shipped under a different denomination product such as ready-to-consume frozen sashimi tuna”

→ Under-reporting of catchesCauses Problems Evaluation RecommendationsIntroduction


Laundering Bluefin Tuna Catches • Using trade data rather than fishing fleet records,

the report of Roberto Bregazzi, a tuna industry analyst, reveals: “IUU catches rose from 3,569 tonnes in 2004 to 24,297 in 2008”

• 2007 catches (IUU catches included) were 61,000 tonnes, 31,500 over the legal limit while 4 times the sustainable level.


Human Activites

Poorly Regulated Fishing Industry


19681972

19761980

19841988

19921996

20002004

20080

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

Reported Fishing Production of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Year

Tons

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/fishery/statistics/software/fishstat/en

Quota is introduced in 1998

Estimated underreported

catch





Stressed by WWF and other green groups!

Ecological Stability

Food Security

Economical Sustainability


Ecological Stability


• Bluefin tuna is apex predators• Keep population of organisms stable• By-catch from longline and purse

seine nets(E.g. up to 44,000 albatross, 80,000 loggerhead turtle killed annually)

• Reduced gene base


Food Security


• Developing countries (e.g. Maldives, Philippines)

• Dependence on bluefin tuna or seafood for food

• Food supply problem• Local fish are sold abroad and

denied to local citizens


Economical Sustainability


In the long-run• Collapse of bluefin tuna fishery

industry• Large unemployment• Serious economic lossE.g. General Santos in Philippines

Evaluation of Current Conservation Actions

Tuna FarmingConservation CampaignsTagging ProjectsInternational Trade Ban

• Provide bluefin tuna for consumption by fish farming

• Farming: raising mature fish from eggs

• Ranching: catching individuals from the wild, fatten in captivity

• Currently NOT available at commercial scale

Evaluation of Current Actions

Tuna Farming


Advantages• Directly reduce pressure on wild population• Assist in wild population recovery• Create jobs• Quality might be customized

(be specialized feeds or selective breeding)


Tuna Farming


Huge amount of feed required due to high feed conversion ratio

( 飼料換肉率 ) Antibiotics, pesticides required More expensive than catching from

wild


Tuna Farming


Difficulties

1. Feasibility questioned: high cost of production

Difficulties

2. Sustainability questioned Parasites and diseases harm nearby local species Sea water pollution by waste produced Small fish taken from the ocean lead to depletion of other

species Escaping of farmed fish with undesirable genes

3. Consumer’s quality and safety concern


Tuna Farming


• Consumer awareness campaignseg. Bluefin Saver, Seafood Guide Cards

• Persuading restaurants to stop selling bluefin tuna


Conservation Campaigns


Major awareness campaign in Hong Kong• Bluefin Saver by WWF HK• Internet-based




Advantages• Raise public awareness• Reduce number of restaurants selling bluefin tuna




Difficulties

• Effectiveness is hard to measure• Restaurants refuse to comply unless

the government ban sales by legislation• Restaurants are not providing accurate

information• Not as appealing as campaigns of

businesses




Celebrities in promotional activities of WWF HK




Celebrities in promotional activities of businesses




• Tagging bluefin tuna with electronic devices or “pop-up” satellite tags

• Collect information on bluefin tuna: habitat, biology, migration route etc.

• Carried out by NGOs and volunteering sport fishers


Tagging Projects


Advantages• Information collected can help in better policy

making of ICCAT


Tagging Projects


Difficulties

• Improper tagging can harm individuals

• Information is hard to collect (few individuals tagged or tags are lost)


Tagging Projects


The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) 瀕危野生動植物種國際貿易公約• International agreement between governments• 175 Parties• Aim to ensure that international trade does not threaten

survival of animals and plants• Meeting every 2 1/2 years to decide

whether to curb trade


International Trade Ban



International Trade Ban


• Most endangered, threatened with extinction • International trade prohibited except not commercial• Amended only by Conference of the Parties

Appendix I

• May become threatened with extinction• International trade closely controlled• Export permit

Appendix II

• Trade regulated in at least one country• Need the cooperation of other countries• Appropriate permits or certificates• Amended at any time by any Party

Appendix III


International Trade BanCITES Agreements• Providing a framework • Not taking the place of national laws• Adopting own domestic legislation to implement

CITES agreement• Parties adhere voluntarily



International Trade BanMonaco’s Proposal: July 2009• Proposing listing on Appendix I• Failure of ICCAT in conservation and management• Scientific bodies proved that Atlantic bluefin amply

meets requirements for listing• Stock levels less than 15% of historical maximum

level



International Trade BanDefinition of international trade ban

“Limited to domestic markets only, and absolutely no international trade of the fish or their parts”

Advantages • Cut supply immediately• Prevent Atlantic blueftin tuna from extinction• Sustain profits from long-term fishery



International Trade BanDisadvantages• Economic motives

Economic and trade loss In 2002, tuna was the 3rd most valuable export in fishing business Bluefin makes the most money per pound

Unemployment• Political motives

Retaliation by other countries



International Trade BanVoting Results: March 2010• Support of 2/3 of all nations to pass the proposal• 68 countries opposed, 20 in favor and 30 abstained• Mark Stevens, WWF senior program officer for Fisheries, said

“It is scandalous that governments did not even get the chance to engage in meaningful debate on this proposal given the overwhelming scientific justification and growing political support in past months.”

• Glenn Sant, global marine program leader, said"Libya called for a vote immediately." "Let's just say they were very impassioned,"



International Trade BanOur Interviewee:Dr. Allen To, Marine Conservation Officer of WWF-HongKong, said,

“ POLITICS rather than science plays an important role in CITES.”


Recommendations & Conclusion

Recommendations


Public- Understand the importance of wildlife conservation- Do not consider individual’s effort futile- Demand sustainable seafood- Reflect concern on the environment to the government- Support government’s policies on wildlife conservation

GovernmentBusiness

Recommendations


PublicGovernment

BusinessA sustainable industry promise continuous income- Source sustainable seafood- Fishermen fish with sustainable methods- Follow fishing regulations and quotas

I-Team: Sushi Restaurant Pulls Bluefin Tuna from the Menu

Source: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13247082/i-team-sushi-restraurant-pulls-bluefin-tuna-from-the-menu

LAS VEGAS -- Chef Oscar Toro wants his diners to try new things, not just for their own enjoyment, but for the good of the planet. His employer, the wildly popular Sushi Samba restaurant at Palazzo, has just taken one of its most popular, and most expensive, dishes off the menu.

The Sushi Samba chain is following the example of another Las Vegas seafood chef, Rick Moonen, a leader of the sustainable seafood movement. Moonen serves fish species that are abundant, avoiding those in trouble, and no fish in the world is in more trouble than the bluefin.

"We are a large group. We do a lot of business -- tons of customers -- but we have said no," said Chef Toro.

Public response has been overwhelmingly positive, Toro says. But several other Las Vegas restaurants continue to sell bluefin, including Nobu at the Hard Rock, Koi at Planet Hollywood and Yellowtail at Bellagio.

Recommendations


Public

GovernmentEcosystem-based fisheries managementUse ecological knowledge to advise the policiesIncorporating ICCAT regulations into national legal systemSetting up a “Sustainable Seafood Trademark” for businessesInitiating education campaigns

Business

Conclusion


Public

GovernmentBusiness

Education

The best solution is the joint-forces from all 3 parties!

Discussion Time

Documents

Conservation of Bluefin Tuna GEUC 4011 Senior Seminar Group 166 LEE GA WUN 1008619443 LEE SZE KI 1007602923 IENG KA MAN 1007608173 YUNG WING TUNG 1007623353