Greenpeace Calls for Suspension of Bluefin Tuna Fishery

["Greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

COMMISSION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA MEETING
STARTS TODAY- 
Greenpeace Calls for Suspension of the Fishery


The Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
(CCSBT) meets this week in Canberra. It is a resumption of the
meeting held last September, which was adjourned without any
agreement between the trilateral parties, New Zealand, Australia
and Japan.

Date:     18-21 February 1997
Time:     2pm
Location: Edmund Barton Building, Kings Avenue, Canberra, 

The key discussion points for this meeting will be: 

1) setting the total allowable catch (TAC) for the 1997 Southern
bluefin tuna season; 
2) resolution of seabird bycatch problems; 
3) Japan's push for an additional 'research' quota. 

Last year the TAC was almost 12,000 tonnes, divided between the
three parties.

Greenpeace believes the CCSBT must act now to protect the  
Southern bluefin tuna, listed last year on the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature 'Red List' as 'Critically
Endangered'.

Greenpeace calls on the three governments to suspend the
Southern bluefin tuna fishery until the stocks recover to
sustainable biological levels. Additionally, effective seabird
avoidance mechanisms must be implemented on all vessels in
conjunction with a verifiable strategy for reducing seabird
bycatch to levels approaching zero.

For more information call:  
Cristina Mormorunni, Ocean Ecology campaigner on 09 630 6317, or
Glyn Walters, Media Officer on 025 931 363. 

If you would like a copy of the Greenpeace Southern bluefin tuna
Press Pack please let us know. 

The Secretariat to the Commission for the Conservation of
Southern Bluefin Tuna can be contacted on 0061 6 282 8396.