Several businesses have stepped up their commitment to saving Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna by signing the World Wildlife Fund’s Tuna Market Manifesto, pledging not to buy or sell the species.
Carrefour Group, Ikea, Sodexo and sushi restaurant chains itsu and Moshi Moshi are among the businesses that will not sell Atlantic bluefin until the fisheries are being sustainably managed by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in a way that will allow the species to recover.
The manifesto was presented Wednesday during fishery management discussions at ICCAT’s annual meeting taking place now in Paris. The companies backing the campaign have also joined WWF in calling on governments to take urgent action and help the species recover.
“The global business world is standing up for sustainable seafood and in increasing numbers is refusing to trade in endangered Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna until the fishery is being managed in a responsible manner and the species is recovering,” said Dr. Sergi Tudela, head of fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “WWF applauds this bold stance from the private sector and encourages other businesses to sign up.”
Specifically, WWF is urging ICCAT to cut the total catch of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean from the current 13,500 metric tons annually to between 0 and 6,000 metric tons, and to allocate the remaining catch to artisanal fishing fleets.
The management of bluefin has drawn a lot of fire from not only WWF, but the environmental community as a whole, with Pew Environment Group and Greenpeace also campaigning ICCAT to take action to protect the species.
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