Marrakech, Morocco: Close to 16,000 citizens from 149 countries have signed up to join numerous restaurants, retailers and chefs in boycotting Mediterranean bluefin tuna – until stocks have recovered and the fishery is properly controlled and managed.
Marrakech, Morocco: Close to 16,000 citizens from 149 countries have signed up to join numerous restaurants, retailers and chefs in boycotting Mediterranean bluefin tuna – until stocks have recovered and the fishery is properly controlled and managed.
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WWF has presented the petition, on behalf of 15,941 concerned
individuals, to top fisheries decision-makers today in Marrakech,
Morrocco where the 46 Contracting Parties of the International
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) are meeting
to decide the future of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean.
“Thousands of consumers from across the world are voting with their
wallets by not buying or eating endangered Mediterranean bluefin tuna,â€
said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean. “WWF
hopes ICCAT acts on this strong plea from global citizens.â€
As increasing numbers of responsible consumers say no to bluefin, the
list of chefs, restaurants and retailers around the world that have
stopped serving and selling bluefin is also growing. The trailblazers –
Auchan in France, Carrefour in Italy, Coop in Italy and Switzerland,
ICA in Norway, Moshi Moshi in the UK, and Memento in Spain – have now
been joined by many others in taking bluefin off their menus and
shelves.
These are Benoît Delbasserue French chef; Casino French supermarket;
Coop Norwegian supermarket; Deutsche See German processor; Elior French
restaurant chain; Gottfried Friedrichs German processor; M&J UK
seafood supplier; Migros Swiss supermarket; Relais du Parc French
restaurant; Sergi Arola, Dario Barrio, Karel Bell – Spanish chefs; and
over 50 restaurants in Monaco.
“Bluefin tuna was one of the star items on our menu, but the critical
situation of the stocks made me take it off the plates so that diners
can keep enjoying it in years to come,†said Sergi Arola, Spanish
celebrity chef. “I believe it’s my duty to take care of the
sustainability of a dish as well as its taste.â€
“ICCAT members are under pressure from numerous countries,
international institutions, scientists and even their own review to
close this fishery and allow it to recover,†said Dr Tudela. “Now they
are also coming under pressure from more and more of their own
citizens, their noted chefs, their leading restaurants and their
leading marketers.
"It is time for ICCAT to take note of this growing market aversion to
the tuna slaughter and to finally follow its so-far hollow boast to act
in accordance with the science.â€
Dr Tudela noted that should ICCAT fail to act this week in Marrakech,
support would grow for moving from attempting to control fishers to
using a trade ban to save the species from collapse.