North Atlantic ban endorsed by 16 countries – including Japan and China – defeated in final moments of ICCAT
Mallorca, Spain. November 25, 2019. Remarkable leadership by Canada and Senegal has been a saving grace for conservationists who are otherwise appalled that the US and EU have quashed hope for vital mako protection measures at the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). Senegal and Canada secured eight other country cosponsors and fought for consensus on banning retention of seriously overfished North Atlantic shortfin makos, as ICCAT scientists advise. Yet the EU and US refused to give up on exceptions for hundreds of tons of the Endangered species to be landed. ICCAT scientists estimate this population could take four or five decades to recover, even if fishing stops. Lack of consensus allows status quo fishing at unsustainable levels to continue.