"endangered species" news and stories

Environmentalists who have lamented the serious decline of bluefin tuna stocks for decades are being bolstered by a significant move by France yesterday. According to today's New York Times article, France has agreed to support the listing of bluefin tuna as an endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) -- a move that will give the EU enough votes to support the ban on bluefin tuna trade at next month's CITES meeting in Qatar.

Many environmentalists say that while the move by France is significant, it simply isn't bold enough.

"What's needed is a five-year total moratorium on fishing [for bluefin tuna]," says Carl Safina, co-founder of Blue Ocean Institute, who first proposed a ban on bluefin tuna to CITES in 1991. "A ban on international trade only goes part of the way. People could still catch bluefin and sell them domestically in any country, as long as it's not traded across borders."

While France now supports the proposed trade ban, they're qualifying that support with an 18-month delay to appease the country's fishermen and to give them time to adjust.

"If it's just a delay to assist fishermen with the transition, which is what we think, then that's OK. But the problem is, the fishermen may stockpile all the fish they can get during the 18-month delay, further threatening the species and its recovery, and that's bad," says Susan Lieberman, deputy director of international policy for the Pew Environment Group.

The U.S. government has not yet declared its position on the issue, and for the time being, bluefin tuna remains on menus at restaurants and sushi counters both here in the U.S. and abroad.

Worried about GM Easter chocolates or just generally concerned for the environment? This Easter take a look at the Hoppy Treats from Endangered Species. These individually wrapped chocolates are .35-ounces of socially responsible goodness. All Endangered Species chocolate is ethically traded to ensure fair wages and good working conditions for farmers and employees and the chocolates are all-natural. The chocolates come in milk and dark varieties. The dark chocolate is 70% cocoa content and is certified kosher. The milk chocolate has a 52% cocoa content and is also certified kosher. They sell for $5.50 per pack of 24 candies.

Source

Thanks to our swanky friends over at Luxist, we were alerted to the ban on worldwide caviar trade by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and this just after the US banned import of caviar from the Caspian Sea. The New York Times had more detailed information yesterday about the reasons behind the ban as well as the 10 countries it affects, but the best story so far has been from the UK's Guardian. Tim Dowling gives the bourgie some other options for luxury items now that caviar won't be available at all - foetal peppers with your line caught mackerel eyes, anyone?