The Green Party is calling on the Government of
Canada to heed the recommendation of the Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife (COSEWIC) designating the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna an endangered
species.
“The Green Party is extremely concerned about remarks from a
Fisheries and Oceans official which suggest the government may put the economic
interests of a lucrative fishing industry ahead of the best scientific advice of
their own advisory body,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party and
MP-elect Saanich Gulf Islands. "This is yet another example of the lack of
commitment of the federal government to the moral responsibility to prevent the
extinction of plants and animals, the goal of the Species at Risk Act."
COSEWIC states that overfishing is largest threat to Bluefin stocks.
However a spokesperson for Fisheries and Oceans Canada told media it would be
“premature” to discuss protecting Bluefin Tuna under the Species at Risk Act.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna are a food fish prized particularly for sushi and sashimi.
The fish fetch a high price on global markets.
“It would be gross
negligence to ignore the evidence and keep fishing this species," said Janice
Harvey, Green Party Fisheries Critic. “ We have plenty of evidence of what
happens when economic interests trump the protection of fish species. The least
Canadians should expect from their fisheries ministers is that they learn from
their mistakes."
FACTS:
- The Atlantic Bluefin is found in both western and
eastern Atlantic waters, as well as the Mediterranean. - They are among the largest species of bony fish,
reaching well over 450 kg. - Bluefin meat can earn as much as $1000 per
kilogram. - Approximately 500 tonnes of Bluefin were caught in
Canadian waters in 2010 - According to the International Commission for the
Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, Atlantic Bluefin stocks have decreased 82% in
the western Atlantic over the last 40 years. - Atlantic Bluefin have already been fished to
extinction in the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. - Bluefin spawn in the Gulf of Mexico. The effect of
the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on stocks is still unknown. - COSEWIC has also issued a grim warning for the
stocks of Atlantic Sturgeon and Eulachon (also called Oolichan). The Eulachon is
an extremely important fish species for First Nations on Canada’s West
Coast.
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Contact:
Kieran
Green
Director of
Communications
613-613-4916
Kieran.Green@greenparty.ca