EC Proposes Ban on Trade in Bluefin Tuna

The European Commission (EC) has proposed that the European Union prohibit international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna, favored by sushi eaters in Japan and elsewhere. According to the announcement, member states will discuss the proposal to reach a common EU position before the March 2010 meeting in Doha of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. While the EC is apparently concerned about the species’ “poor conservation status,” the trade ban would not take effect until 2011. According to a news source, environmental groups criticized the announcement, warning that a delay could encourage more fishing in the interim. See Financial Times, February 22, 2010.