Paris, France – “Wilfully blind” members of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) have left Mediterranean bluefin tuna still on a trajectory of collapse, WWF said as the commission’s annual meeting closed in Paris with only marginal cuts to catch levels.

With more than four decades of failure behind it protecting the bluefin fisheries under its care, ICCAT today agreed to trim catch quotas by only 600 tonnes compared to the more than 6000 tonnes needed to just even the odds of saving the species.

“Greed and mismanagement have taken priority over sustainability and common sense at this ICCAT meeting when it comes to Atlantic bluefin. This measly quota reduction is insufficient to ensure the recovery of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of WWF Mediterrean’s Fisheries Programme.

Key countries backed away from commitments to ensure a sustainably managed fishery, leaving only one brighter spot – the meeting declined to rubberstamp another amnesty to fishing nations required under ICCAT rules to pay back past overfishing against future catches.

“Doha commitment” promises come to nothing

The so called “Doha commitments” were made by key ICCAT member states including the EU, Japan and the US after key bluefin tuna market after key bluefin tuna market Japan orchestrated a vote against proposals to introduce the highest level of trade restrictions for bluefin tuna at the March meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The outcome of the Paris meeting recalls ICCAT’s action in the 1990s, where promises and concessions on catches were made in the face of threats to refer the collapsing western Atlantic bluefin tuna to CITES, only to be followed by a hard line on reducing catches once the danger of referral to CITES had passed.

Under pressure from the Mediterranean fishing industry and countries benefiting from the highly profitable trade of the sushi favourite red-fleshed bluefin tuna, ICCAT today also held back other efforts to regulate the fishery in the Mediterranean, where the eastern Atlantic population of bluefin tuna migrates to spawn.

“After years of observing ICCAT and countless opportunities to do the right thing, it is clear to us that the commission’s interests lie not in the sustainable harvesting of bluefin tuna but in pandering to short-term business interests,” Dr Tudela said.  “There have been no effective measures implemented here to deal with widespread illegal and unreported fishing for bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean.”

Recent investigations have shown the high levels of non-compliance and rule-bending still rife across the Mediterranean bluefin tuna fishery. While there are observers on vessels there is a lot of guess work involved, and control measures were not significantly improved at the Paris ICCAT meeting.

“ICCAT members are wilfully blind to the fact that failing to reduce fishing quotas to precautionary levels recommended by science will logically result in the lack of recovery of the species. Before this meeting WWF asked whether ICCAT wants to remain ineffective or help save bluefin tuna. The answer is becoming all too clear,” said Tudela.

WWF welcomed the decision to finally respect the so-called payback regulations, meaning that countries which have overfished would see their quotas reduced accordingly in future to compensate. This application of fishing rules is crucial in Europe at a time when the EU is reforming its common fisheries policy and has pledged to follow science and slash illegal fishing.

In 2007 France fished well over 10,000 tonnes, while in 2011 its quota will be less than 1,000 after payback. France’s 2011 quota should be allocated among artisanal fleets rather than the industrial purse seine vessels that are responsible for the massive overfishing in the recent past.

WWF is urging that capacity reduction measures put in place today also focus on cutting purse seiners. The new rules dictate that within three years boat capacity in the Mediterranean – currently far too high – should be aligned with fishing quotas. While current figures for boat numbers underestimate real capacity, this is a positive move.

Coming into the meeting ICCAT’s chairman Dr Fabio Hazin talked of “the obligation to respect science” and expressed “confidence and consequent optimism” that countries would “act responsibly and adopt measures needed to ensure sustainability” of fish stocks. But ICCAT members countries have fallen short of this expectation.

“Everyone talked of respecting science and wanting to adopt measures to ensure recovery of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, but the measures adopted today are highly risky given the dire status of bluefin tuna stocks and all the blanks and unknowns in the current data gathering and analysis,” said Dr Tudela of WWF.

ICCAT has for years failed to implement recovery and sustainable management of the bluefin tuna fishery in the Mediterranean Sea.

WWF, an observer at the negotiations during the ICCAT meeting, was calling on governments to end rule-bending and impunity for illegal fishing, and urging the inter-governmental body to implement a science-based management plan that will allow the Atlantic bluefin tuna to recover.

WWF was also calling for the establishment of no-fishing sanctuaries in the six identified spawning grounds in the Mediterranean Sea, but this suggestion was removed entirely from the agenda.

A proposal to ban international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna through a listing on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was defeated in Doha, Qatar last March. But the main harvesting and consuming countries of eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna, the EU and Japan – as well as Norway, Canada and the U.S. – promised to lead in getting sustainable and science-based fisheries management measures adopted at this year’s ICCAT meeting.

Japan in particular opposed the CITES listing and stressed that ICCAT was the place to sustainably manage Atlantic bluefin tuna and that countries would show the world ICCAT is capable of ensuring the recovery of the species.

“WWF is disappointed the Doha commitments were not respected here in Paris. We had high hopes that Japan especially would take leadership at this ICCAT meeting in putting in place sustainable and precautionary management measures for bluefin tuna as well as enforcing strict compliance,” said Dr Aiko Yamauchi, Fisheries Officer at WWF-Japan. “The results fall short of our high expectations, in spite of fresh evidence of widespread rule-breaking again this year. We are urging Japan to strictly enforce compliance rules.”

ICCAT’s scientists will next assess bluefin tuna stocks in the East Atlantic in 2012, when they vow to address the uncertainties in data to ensure recommendations are clearer. Data quality must improve but also the methodologies employed to analyse figures. WWF will work with scientists to optimise the process during the next two years.

For more information
Gemma Parkes at WWF: m +39 346 387 3237 // e gparkes@wwf.panda.org // www.panda.org/tuna

 Warsaw – WWF plans to introduce lynx from Estonia into the Polish forests of Piska and Napiwodzko-Ramuckie in order to combat the declining population in the country. The first felines should be relocated by February 2011.

Bobcat numbers have been decreasing dramatically in Poland in the past 20 years resulting in the listing of the species, mainly threatened by hunting and habitat loss, in the Polish red Book of Animals in 1995.

‘The lynx’s survival is at stake in Poland. With the transfer of animals from Estonia, we hope to repopulate the forests and prevent the species from extinction in the country’ said Pawel Sredzinski, leader of the WWF Poland Lynx Campaign.

Lynx population in Poland have benefitted from a ban prohibiting hunting passed in 1995.

Although lynx are listed on the Appendix II of CITES and international trade is forbidden, illegal hunting still represents a major threat. In Estonia, it is estimated that over a hundred animals are hunted annually for their fur.

WWF started raising funds to pay for the transfers. The cost of relocating just one lynx is 10’000 Zloty, almost eight times more than the country’s minimum wage.

There are currently only 200 lynx in Poland. Most of them live in the Polish Carpathians but an estimated 60 felines live in the Piska and Napiwodzko-Ramuckich forests where the Estonia bobcats will be introduced.

Paris, France: Countries which exceed fishing quotas on the rare East Atlantic tuna species should pay for their illegal activity, an issue that has been key in bringing the species to the brink of collapse, WWF said.

European fleets, particularly from France, have massively overfished the tuna species by up to 100 per cent for years.

Yet they repeatedly managed to obtain amnesty on the “payback rules” from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meaning their quotas to catch tuna were not accordingly reduced in the following years as set out in ICCAT’s own rules.

“It is astonishing that some countries seem to be allowed to operate above any rules and regulations,” Sergi Tudela, Head of WWF’s Fisheries Programme, said in Paris on the sidelines of ICCAT’s annual meeting.

The goals of the meeting include the enforcement of existing rules that oblige countries to respect the fishing quotas on tuna.

“In order to maintain its credibility ICCAT has to enforce its rules and oblige fishing countries to pay back what they have effectively stolen,” Tudela said.

“Allowing European fleets to overfish without any consequences is an embarrassment for ICCAT and its members, especially at a time when the EU is meant to be reforming its fisheries policy,” he said.

In 2005 and 2006 EU fleets overshot their legal bluefin tuna quotas by 2,269.3 tonnes and 865.5 tonnes respectively. According to ICCAT rules they should have been subject to a 100 per cent payback. After obtaining an amnesty on this overfishing from ICCAT the fleets again overshot the quota by 5,021 tonnes in 2007.

ICCAT has failed for years to implement sustainable recovery and management for this fishery in the Mediterranean Sea, but poor compliance has only made the situation worse.

Like other species of bluefin tuna, the eastern Atlantic bluefin has flesh whose taste and bright red colour are admired by sushi lovers across the world.

And like other bluefin tuna species, it is also on the brink of collapse.

WWF is calling on governments to end rule-bending and impunity for illegal fishing. The global conservation group is urging the inter-governmental ICCAT to implement a science-based management plan that will allow the Atlantic bluefin tuna to recover.

Specifically, WWF is urging ICCAT to cut bluefin tuna catches in the Mediterranean from 13,500 tonnes per year at present to less than 6,000 tonnes, and to allocate the remaining catch to artisanal fishing fleets.

Destructive industrial purse seine fleets and fattening farms in the Mediterranean must be urgently phased out.

No-fishing sanctuaries should be established in the species’ six known spawning grounds in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sydney, Australia: A long-awaited report into the August 2009 oilspill which widely affected marine and bird life in the Timor Sea has condemned “widespread and systematic” shortcomings by the company constructing and operating the well.

WWF-Australia, which played a significant role in publicising the impact of the remote spill, has welcomed the report, calling for the Federal Government “to get serious about protecting Australia’s oceans and coasts” with “a network of marine sanctuaries that prevent drilling for oil and gas in the most environmentally sensitive areas”.

The report, completed during early stages of the catastrophic Gulf of Mexico explosion and oil spill but not handed down to the Australian Parliament until this week, was also highly critical of the Northern Territory Department of Resources, saying it “was not a diligent regulator and its minimalist approach to its regulatory responsiblilties gave it little chance of discovering these poor (company) practices.”

Initial undersea cementing problems on the exploration well were compounded by only one of two planned secondary well control barriers being installed, the report found.

The blowout took 73 days to kill. The inquiry was told the oil from the blowout covered 90,000 kilometres of sea and reef – much more than the area admitted to during the spill.

“When WWF visited the toxic spill last year, it was evident dolphins and sea birds were swimming
through a noxious mix of oil and chemical dispersants,” said Dr Gilly Llewellyn, WWF-Australia’s
Conservation Manager.

“This kind of environmental disaster is unacceptable. Montara and the Gulf of Mexico spill have
shown the worse case scenario can and does happen.”

WWF has welcomed the Government’s decision to accept public comments on its draft response of tightening regulatory oversight and better monitoring the impacts of spills on wildlife.

Gland, Switzerland: Influential emerging economies are also emerging with the leading plans to cut carbon emissions causing climate change, according to a WWF study issued today.

Issued as country delegates head to the UN climate conference at Cancun, Mexico, Emerging Economies – How the developing world is starting a new era of climate change leadership examines emissions trends and climate action plans for five of the world’s largest developing economies – Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa.

It finds that overall these key emerging economies are acting with greater determination, ambition and energy than several countries in the developed world. But emerging economies could also do more to stave off the worst potential impacts of climate change and the report outlines for each country what the next moves could be.

“The race to grow clean technology markets and embrace a low-carbon future is well underway in some of the world’s largest emerging economies,” said Gordon Shepherd, leader of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.

“These countries now have the opportunity to build on their strong initiatives domestically to show international leadership under the UN climate process.

“Brazil, South Africa, China, India and Mexico are strongly placed at Cancun to push for action on innovative sources of public financing and a legally binding climate agreement under the UNFCCC” said Shepherd.

The WWF analysis shows that all five economies have reasonably strong renewable energy standards and emissions reduction plans, laying the basis for further action that will be needed in the future.

Mexico is integrating its climate change mitigation and adaptation plans and has committed to reduce emissions by 50% by 2050 compared to 2000 levels.

China is changing its energy mix and has committed to offering at least 15% of all energy from renewable sources by 2020, while emerging as the world’s largest manufacturer of renewable energy products in 2009. . This is all part of securing the 20% reduction in energy intensity by 2010 compared to 2005 levels that China pledged last year at the Copenhagen UN climate summit.

Meanwhile, South Africa is pursuing a consistent economy-wide approach to low carbon development planning, working towards achieving around 34% reduction by 2020 especially commendable given its very high dependence on coal.

Brazil has reduced deforestation by 56% since 2004 and has set a 2017 target for further reductions to 70% below the average rate between 1995 and 2006.

India is making progress on solar and wind energy development under its national action plan on climate change and may exceed its target of adding 10% renewable energy power by 2012.

“These countries should push forward to achieve all they have committed to nationally and by these actions encourage and help move those who are still lagging behind in the renewable energy race,” said Shepherd.

The report also demonstrates that collective action is essential from all emitting countries in order to address the threats from historic, current and future green house gas emissions.

“Given the competing challenges of reducing poverty levels and investing in development, it is encouraging that these emerging economies have committed to reversing the rising trend in emissions and are pursuing low-carbon development pathways.”

“We believe these actions should increased cooperation between progressive developed countries such as the EU and emerging economies that could give the UN climate negotiations a new dynamic,” said Shepherd.

For more information contact:

Ashwini Prabha, Communications Manager, WWF International, aprabha@wwfint.org, M: +41-79-8741682

St. Petersburg, Russia: The historic International Tiger Conservation Forum ended today with crucial plans to discuss further financing options for the Global Tiger Recovery Programme approved at the meeting, kick-starting new efforts to double the number of wild tigers.

On the final day of the summit, delegates met briefly to hammer out key dates in the coming year to reach final agreement on how to pay for and monitor the recovery plan. This followed the endorsement on Tuesday of the Programme and a Leader’s Declaration by heads of government and tiger range countries.

“This summit has created the high level government backing that we needed to create a platform to immediately reverse the decline of wild tigers which is threatening them with extinction,” said Michael Baltzer, head of WWF’s Tigers Alive initiative. “We need governments to lead the charge forward and maintain this political enthusiasm and intensity – because the tiger cannot wait for our help.”

The 13 tiger range countries will meet during the next six months to secure more cash for the recovery plan and will finalize the long-term financing of the plan in July. They will meet again in December 2011 to monitor how well the 12-year-plan to save tigers is working.

At the summit, WWF committed to spend USD 50 million over the next five years on tiger conservation, and set a goal of increasing that to USD 85 million. The global conservation organization also released its plans to support the government’s commitments to save tigers.

Hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, governments capped a year-long political process on Tuesday with about USD 127 million in new funding to support the plan, known as the Global Tiger Recovery Programme. In addition, funding will include a large loan package from the World Bank to some tiger range countries, and millions in additional grants from the Global Environment Facility.

Other heads of government attended the summit, from Bangladesh, China, Laos and Nepal.

The Global Tiger Recovery Programme was developed by countries that have tigers, which took more than a year to put together, and lays out a comprehensive set of actions to help tigers recover from decades of poaching and destruction of their forest homes.

The cost of the initial stage of the recovery programme, prepared by the tiger range countries with support from the Global Tiger Initiative of the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility and other tiger conservation partners including WWF, has been largely covered by the tiger range countries themselves, but USD 350 Million is needed from the international community.