EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg has positioned himself squarely behind the European Commission's provisional support to ban the international trade of bluefin tuna, denying a rift with his environment counterpart.
"Commissioner Stavros Dimas and I share the same objective. We both want the best protection possible for Atlantic bluefin tuna," Dr Borg told The Sunday Times.
Last week, the Commission decided to provisionally co-sponsor a proposal by Monaco to ban the international trade of bluefin tuna. Contrary to media reports, Dr Borg denied "an internal tug of war" between his directorate and that of the environment, headed by Mr Dimas, in the build-up to the agreement.
According to the proposal put to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), tuna stocks are so fragile the species should be classified as being at threat of extinction.
EU member states will examine the provisional proposal on September 21 ahead of a Cites vote in Qatar in 2010.
Dr Borg said that before adopting a final position, the Commission will be evaluating the latest scientific evidence from the International Commission for the Scientific Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), due in November.
He also stressed the need to consider the socio-economic impacts of such a ban: "As policymakers, any socio-economic consequences are of concern to us and need to be properly addressed."
Similarly, the government outlined its support for sustainable fishing practices, but said evaluation of the latest scientific evidence was required before a final decision, adding that the tuna industry was an important economic sector for Malta.
Mr Dimas's stand, however, was unequivocal. He said the Commission's decision marked an important step in the protection of the species: "Scientists say urgent action is needed to safeguard the future of one of the ocean's most emblematic creatures."
In its 2008 assessment, ICCAT states: "It is apparent that the total allowable catch is not respected and is largely ineffective in controlling overall catch, although enforced control seems to have deployed in the Mediterranean Sea... The current fishing mortality rate is more than three times the level which would permit the stock to stabilise."
ICCAT is an inter-governmental fishery organisation that compiles fishery statistics from its members. Its next assessment should reveal whether the measures implemented by the EU for fisheries' management in the last season had any impact.
Dr Borg expressed confidence things were changing. He said the Commission set up the most comprehensive system of control and monitoring of EU fisheries last year and again this year.
"These efforts bore fruit... I believe for the first time in decades we can say we finally managed to change the way member states deal with this iconic fishery," Dr Borg said.
But international environmental organisations said these measures were far from what was needed, and quotas set were much higher than those recommended by scientists.
Oceana, an international environmental organisation working to protect the oceans, said: "The Monaco proposal indicates that, based on the latest scientific stock assessment, the spawning stock has reduced to 74 per cent of historical levels, and scientists recommended a maximum quota of 15,000 tonnes. The quota agreed by political negotiators for 2009 was 22,000 tonnes."
Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund also criticised the measures in place as ineffective in protecting bluefin tuna stocks.
But the multi-million euro trade in tuna is not something the industry will easily renounce. Malta is considered to be the global capital of tuna farms with Azzopardi Fisheries having the largest tuna farming operation in the Mediterranean.
Industry consultant Carmelo Agius told The Sunday Times such a ban "if it had to happen, could spell the end of the industry", resulting in unemployment and the deterioration of expensive equipment.
"It would be virtually impossible to recover and resume the business," Prof. Agius said.
A Marsaxlokk fisherman, who preferred to remain unnamed, said when contacted that such a decision would be "a blessing for the sea" because it would end the impact of destructive fishing practices by industrial fleets.
But it would also affect the income of traditional fishermen because of the small size of the local market. They argue that fish caught by traditional sustainable practices should still be exported because otherwise they would be paying the price for the abuse caused by others.
cmuscat@timesofmalta.com