

Trade in endangered species

Fishy business

How the elephants’ success hurt the bluefin tuna

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A struggling traveller

Talking about fishy business, ICCAT (or IWC) should start researching on the unnatural amount of whales and dolphins that are caught in the fishing nets in Korea as an "accident"

Their meat can be legally sold in Korea if they are caught as a "bycatch"

San Polo

Unfortunately it is difficult to believe 7 billions humans - soon to become 9 - can coexist together with wildlife. It is an utopy. Cites or not Cites, it is a matter of fact that elephants are vanishing from Africa - they are now hunted not only for ivory but simply for their meat as pressure is building up to reduce the size of the animal parks.

Recently the Tanzanian government did inform the Cites about that 20000 out of 90000 elephants living a park had disappeared ... it is a nice way to say they have been transformed in steak - it is just a question of time before the last wild one gets eaten. Same for the red tuna fish - it is sad but the main solution is breeding endangered species. The rest is just - alas - empty talk.

Jacques Bouvier

Well, I guess all the misguided fuss made by the West over whales despite their recovered numbers has come back to bite the conservationists in the proverbial behind--Hideyoshi Toyotomi

Recovered numbers, my ###. Genetics studies show that the populations of blue, fin, grey right and humpback whales are all small fractions of what they once were.

And do you think those results came from the so-called research performed by Japanese commercial whalers? Japanese scientists have published nothing substantial on whale populations or their genetics to justify those obscene "RESEARCH" signs they paint on their factory ships.

Jacques Bouvier

"I understand that it is a emotional matter for Japan due to tuna fishing's cultural significance." We can also add whaling to that.

Of course, tuna and whales are hard to find in Japanese territorial waters--due to overfishing. So going without tuna or whale should be a great cultural tradition, too. Japan's actions to buy the votes of fisheries officials in 3rd world countries is shameful.


I have never had an argument to use against elephants for the purpose of conversation - now I do...thank you Economist

Down with elephants! Up with Tuna!


In a perverse way, Japan's intransigence is actually a welcome development. They will fish tuna to extinction, and then they will be left without any tuna at all. It will serve them right.

A struggling traveller

At this rate, it won't be long before the West starts saying that Bluefins are actually a sentient and intelligent fish, and must be protected from being fished by the barbarous Japanese


Politics and the tragedy of the commons guarantee international agreements aren't going to work. What we need is a policy like the British used against slavery. Any ship caught fishing for or in possession of bluefin should be sunk and the crew set adrift in lifeboats. The EU could police the Mediterranean and the US ought to be up to the task in the Atlantic and Pacific.


Japan and others will not be interested until our oceans will be a dark lifeless desert. Where then will the turtles, sharks, tuna and whales be found to fill fill their desires.


The ocean is an area where devastation is not as obvious, where satellite pictures cannot monitor the ecological devastation and depletion of marine diversity. I understand that it is a emotional matter for Japan due to tuna fishing's cultural significance. However, Japan is also a pragmatic nation, and assuredly can find alternative solutions to this issue. If the extensive fishing of tuna continues, just like the cod population off the coast of Newfoundland, the tuna population will certainly be depleted to such a level that they will no longer be able to bounce back. At this time, not only will none of us be able to enjoy tuna, this Japanese culture will irretrievably die as well.

In Science daily, Collapse of Bluefin Tuna Population off Northern Europe Described

The End of the Line film

Reuters Overfishing to wipe out bluefin population in 3 years: WWF


You can't seriously be arguing that tuna stocks are not in trouble, are you? You obviously have not been following all the numerous reports that have been put out on the subject. Do yourself a favor and go and get educated. And, since you mention it, Japan has no business pursuing 'scientific' whaling. It is a farce being mulishly and bull-headedly pursued by a country that too often acts like the child on the playground that cries after someone threatens to take his marbles away. Everyone knows how much tuna is fancied in Japan. But when they are all gone; when the stocks collapse, what will they have to complain about then? Make the change before nature makes it for you and render all these patriotic whingings irrelevant. The cod fishermen of Newfoundland didn't listen. See what happened to them?

Hideyoshi Toyotomi


Maybe next time, leave the preaching and eco-thuggery to when species are actually endangered and in need of protection. Crying "wolf" just because an animal is cute is not a good idea.


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