Atlantic tuna ban to boost local industry 16/09/2009 4:43:00 PM A possible worldwide trade ban on the sale of Atlantic bluefin tuna would have a dramatic affect on the price of southern bluefin tuna grown on the Eyre Peninsula, potentially boosting Clean Seas Tuna breeding efforts at Arno Bay. The European Commission has supported a proposal from Monaco that Atlantic bluefin be put on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) list, which would mean countries could not sell the fish to lucrative markets.
If the ban goes ahead when the vote is made in coming months, it will mean an initial two-year moratorium on the sale of Atlantic bluefin - one of two sub-species of northern bluefin tuna.
The other sub-species, pacific bluefin, would not be affected by the ban and will continue to be supplied mainly to Japan for domestic production with some new restrictions.
According to some experts, the level of northern bluefin wild catch is three times higher than is sustainable and some estimates put the population of northern bluefin tuna at about 18 per cent of 1970 levels.
Stehr Group and Clean Seas chairman Hagen Stehr says the local tuna industry would be delighted if the ban on Atlantic bluefin sales goes ahead.
"It would be a win-win situation for everyone in the industry and in Port Lincoln," he said.
At the same time that the world’s wildcatch fisheries are facing low prices and reduced stock, southern bluefin tuna Clean Seas propagated at Arno Bay earlier this year are fast approaching one kilogram in weight and all is on track for the company to take the next step towards the commercialisation of the fish on a large scale.
The company is putting all of its efforts into expanding its operation in readiness to have fingerlings in the water early next year.
According to Hagen, this season's wildcatch tuna harvest has seen some of the worst prices on record and fishers were "fishing for nothing".
He said dramatic over fishing in the northern hemisphere highlighted how important the quota system in Australia has been.
"I do not always agree with our management system but it has proven to be a great thing for the industry as far as fish stocks are concerned," he said.
Australian Southern Bluefin Tuna Association chief executive Brian Jeffriess said there was no doubt the issues with Atlantic bluefin would increase demand for southern bluefin tuna.
"There will be a large price increase in 2010, even if there is no trade ban on Atlantic bluefin."
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