The 2008 BlueFin Tuna dossier An analysis of Japan’s 2008 Fresh Ranched BlueFin Tuna Auction Markets Vs. ICCAT’s 2008 BFT Caging Declarations

1

The 2008 BlueFin Tuna dossier An analysis of Japan’s 2008 Fresh Ranched BlueFin Tuna Auction Markets Vs. ICCAT’s 2008 BFT Caging Declarations

A Report by:

Suaviter in modo, Fortiter in re.

Advanced Tuna Ranching Technologies, SL ©®™ C/ O’Donnell, 32 – 2º E 28009 Madrid, Spain. Cell: + 34 650 37 76 98 Email: [email protected] 2

Introduction ICCAT’s Inter session meeting of its Compliance Committee (CoC) met in Barcelona March 24th to 27th 2009.1 The outcome of such meeting was again characterised by utter wilful ignorance and malafides on behalf of most of ICCAT Contracting Parties’ Delegates as to the real state of a collapsing BlueFin Tuna (BFT) Stock, as well as to the purported BFT fishing and ranching illegalities having been committed by those same Contracting Parties during 2008 and 2009 Q1. Once again, ICCAT and most of its Contracting Parties have proven that their fishing management policies for BFT are to be considered as an international disgrace and that they should no longer be allowed to continue dictating preposterous decisions that for the past 10 years, have literally wiped-out a species that has been fished for over 7.000 years, from the Mediterranean Sea. According to CoC 2008 documentation (Catch & caging official declarations)2 crosschecked against BFT Catch Document declarations by CPs for 2008, it appears that some 21.918.185 Kgs of BFT were caught during the 2008 BFT fishing season (April to July 2008). 15.244.684 Kgs of such fish, were officially declared as having been transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna ranches. Both figures are flatly contested by the authors of this report. The level of BFT catching and caging underreporting by ICCAT CPs for 2008 could well exceed 50% of the officially reported figures.3 Blatant cases of false 2007/2008 BFT catch declarations and unreported caging of live BFT, have taken place in countries such as Malta, where IUU BFT was concealed through an artificial 2007 to 2008 carry-over of 1.346.639 Kgs of live BFT inside Maltese Tuna Ranches.4 Again and according to CoC 2008 documentation, Cyprus, also a member of the European Union, declared having only caged 692.550 Kgs of live BFT at its two operative Tuna Ranches during the 2008 BFT fishing season; and yet, according to the EU Trade Statistic Database Eurostat, Cyprus exported to Japan alone during the period July 1 st to December 31st 2008, 1.019.600 Kgs of fresh BFT. (See Table 001) According to CoC 2008 documentation, a number of Algerian, Maltese and Korean vessels were reported to have caught BFT when such vessel were not even equipped with onboard fishing equipment. Other BFT fishing vessels were simply reported to have caught and transferred BFT on a same day in two different parts of the Mediterranean Sea! But even more worrisome is the fact that according to ICCAT CoC BFT caging declarations themselves, the size composition of all 2008 BFT catches that were transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna Ranches, corresponds to that of a collapsed stock, an issue that is not even mentioned in ICCAT’s Report of CoC Inter-session Meeting-For Adoption! 




























































 1

See Reference Document 001: Report of CoC Inter session Meeting-For Adoption See Reference Document 002: Crosscheck between 2008 CoC BFT catching & caging declarations with BFT Catch Document declarations by CPs for 2008 3 This matter will be examined in detail in a forthcoming report by ATRT, sl. To be published November 2009. 4 See Reference Document 003: Data anomaly identified relating to apparent 2007 & 2008 caging of Mediterranean BlueFin tuna in Malta, Published by ATRT, sl. December 2009. 2

3

WWF recently released an analysis suggesting that the East Atlantic stock of the Atlantic BlueFin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is, as we speak, undergoing population collapse5. This evaluation was based on the last assessment of the stock made by the scientific committee (SCRS) of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and supported by new data on the mean sizes of tuna spawners caught by the industrial purse seine fleet in the Mediterranean. The SCRS ICCAT stock assessment pointed to a decrease in the spawning population by some 75% in the last 50 years, with the bulk of this decline having occurred in the 5-year period spanning from 2002 to 2007. Moreover, extrapolating this rate of decline of the spawning BlueFin tuna population into the future showed that it would virtually disappear as soon as 2012 if current fishing trends are maintained. This rapid depletion of the breeding population showed by SCRS ICCAT was also confirmed by the accompanying dramatic decline in the mean sizes of tuna spawners caught by the fishery across the whole Mediterranean region, as derived from the accurate analysis of recent catch information officially submitted to ICCAT by fishing nations (“catch documents”). This report confirms this latest trend about the disappearance of larger spawners, which are the main target of the industrial purse seine fishery and of the tuna fattening industry in the Mediterranean (“tuna farms”). This report is based on the complete daily reports of fresh farmed Atlantic BlueFin tunas from the Mediterranean which were auctioned in the Japanese network of wholesale markets during the entire period between July 1st 2008 and May 1st 2009. These fish mostly originated from purse seining activities in spring-summer 2008. A total of 7,177 individual fish have been analysed for this report, exported from farms located in Spain, Turkey, Italy, Malta, Tunisia, Croatia and Greece. Almost half of this figure, a total of 3,545, originated from Spanish farms. It should be noted, though, that this complete record of the Mediterranean farmed BlueFin tuna traded in the fresh market in Japan constitutes only a small fraction of the total production shipped to Japan, which is usually exported in deepfrozen form and enters the Japanese frozen market. For every single tuna auctioned, the original weight at catch was carefully estimated using the standard conversion rates which take into account presentation (either dressed, or gilled and gutted, depending on the size), and growth during the farming period (accounting for distinctive minimum and maximum growth rates in cages for both small and big fish). The results obtained confirm the trends previously presented by WWF, showing that as much as 63% of the recorded 7,177 fish weighed less than 60 kg at catch, and that between 18% and 43% of these smaller fish were below the legal size of 30 kg (which roughly corresponds to the size at first maturity). The mean size at catch for the whole sample (N= 7,177) amounts to 72.1-81.2 kg (depending on the growth rates considered), with a grand mean of 76.6 kg. Only a mean of 20.3% of farmed fish belonged to the group of large spawners (“giants”, or individuals older than 8 years and larger than 120 kg), which are the main target of the purse seine fishery for farming purposes in the Mediterranean. 




























































 5

http://www.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/mediterranean/about/marine/bluefin_tuna/bluefin_tuna_new s/?162001/Mediterranean-bluefin-tuna-stocks-collapsing-now-as-fishing-season-opens 


4

Among farming countries, the most representative results from the analyses correspond to Spain (N= 3,545) and Turkey (N= 2,391), followed by Italy (N= 644) and Malta (N= 335). Due to the much reduced sample sizes, the results for Tunisia, Greece and Croatia should be considered with caution. According to the results of this study, farming of immature, illegal BlueFin tunas (< 30 kg) was particularly relevant for Spain; estimated size at catch for between 21% and 46% (mean value at 33%) of the 3,345 tunas sold in the fresh tuna market in Japan fell within this category. This suggests that as much as one third of the BlueFin tunas caught for farming in Spain in 2008 where juveniles below the minimum legal size. This conclusion is supported by official catch declarations for 2008 submitted by EC to ICCAT, where several transfers to tuna farms in Spain, formally validated by official observers, which reported that “100% of the catch was above 30 kg”, were assigned mean sizes for fish around 30 kg, which statistically points to a substantial amount of individuals below this size in the concerned consignments of live fish for caging. This situation seriously challenges the credibility of official observers when it comes to certifying the legality of size composition of live tuna consignments transferred to the farms by tug boats. Occurrence of juvenile catches in farmed BlueFin tuna is also significant for Italy, ranging between 7% and 25% (mean value at 16%) of farmed fish reaching the Japanese fresh tuna market. In summary, some major conclusions can be drawn from this report. •

First, and with far-reaching consequences for the future of the stock, we conclude that independent trade data gathered from the Japanese fresh tuna market confirms the alarmingly small size of BlueFin tunas currently captured for farming in the Mediterranean during the spawning season; this fact is consistent with the hypothesis of an on-going collapse of the breeding population of this stock.

•

Second, and tightly linked with the point above, in spite of most of the Mediterranean farming industry traditionally targeting large fish for farming purposes, the increasing scarcity of “giants” (aged 8 years and older) has led it to even rely –at least, partly- on illegal juveniles, as it seems to be happening in Spain.

•

Third, the massive presence in the Japanese market of juvenile BlueFin tunas having been illegally caught and farmed points, again, to the failure of current control schemes, including the credibility of observers filling in caging declarations 6. The dysfunction in control extends to importing countries as well, where market operators find no apparent restrictions in trading fish which were clearly caught illegally in the Mediterranean (IUU production).






























































 6

Able to validate consignments consisting of fish with a mean size of 30 kg as “100% of fish above 30 kg”, something any statistician would consider simply impossible.

5

Exports by EU Member States to Japan of Fresh Processed BlueFin Tuna during the Second Semester of 2008. Source: Eurostat, DS-016890-EU27 Trade Since 1995 By CN8. Extracted on: 24/04/2009 8:34:16. (All values in Kgs) Jul. 2008

Aug. 2008

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'' (EXCL. TUNAS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION)

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'' (EXCL. TUNAS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION)

Sep. 2008 FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'', FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION

Oct. 2008

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'' (EXCL. TUNAS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION)

LIVE BLUEFIN TUNAS "THUNNUS THYNNUS"

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'', FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION

600

CYPRUS

2.600

MALTA SPAIN

11.100

Dec. 2008

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'' (EXCL. TUNAS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION)

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'' (EXCL. TUNAS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION)

1.019.600 1.100

4.600

700

44.500

19.400

286.600

400

331.700

300

495.900

1.700

509.600

214.100

624.400

GREECE ITALY

FRESH OR CHILLED BLUEFIN TUNAS ''THUNNUS THYNNUS'' (EXCL. TUNAS FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OR PRESERVATION)

Nov. 2008

31.400

39.300

550.000

Table 001

6

160.300

According to ICCAT CoC 2008 official live-BFT caging declarations themselves (See Chart 001): •

33% of all live BFT transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna Ranches were clearly undersized BFT weighing between 15 and 30 Kgs.

•

40% of all live BFT transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna Ranches weighted between 30 and 60 Kgs.

•

12% of all live BFT transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna Ranches weighted between 60 and 90 Kgs.

•

7% of all live BFT transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna Ranches weighted between 90 and 120 Kgs.

Though such a baffling revelation would have sufficed to close the 2009 BFT fishery before it even started on April 15th, ICCAT has not only maintained its adopted 22.500.000 Kgs Total Allowable Catch for this year; it now faces the challenge by Turkey who has officially objected to its 2009 BFT quota7. In essence Turkey will not be officially abiding by ICCAT BFT quota rules, though in practice it never did in the past. Such a damming revelation is also a blow to the European Commission’s DG Mare and CFCA as it clearly proves their total incapacity to control a fishery and a tuna ranching industry seemingly above the law. Moreover, this data, though incomplete, is also a clear indication that Japan, by far the most important BFT importer in the world and contrary to Mr. Masanori Miyahara’s8 view, is incapable, not to say unwilling of ensuring proper implementation of ICCAT Recommendation 08-05, in terms of end-market control. As will be shown in this report, high numbers of immature juvenile BFTs (Weighing less than 30 Kgs at catch) from Tuna Ranches across the Mediterranean Sea, are regularly auctioned at Japanese fish markets, without having been inspected at origin (Mainly EU Tuna Ranches) or at their Japanese destination markets. The following is a survey of every single auction sale of Processed Mediterranean Ranched Fresh BlueFin Tuna that took place at 19 of Japan’s main fish auction markets, between July 1st 2008 and May 1st 2009, thus corresponding to fish caught during the 2008 BFT fishing season, ranched during Q1 & Q2 2008 and Q1 2009. Such survey, though based on daily sale records circulating publicly at large, purposely omits to identify both involved Mediterranean Tuna Ranches and Japanese fishmongers. Surveyed 19 fish auction markets for the purpose of this report were: CHIBA, DAINAGON, FUKUOKA, FUNABASHI, KAWASAKI, KOURIYAMA, KYOTO, NAGOYA, OOTA, OSAKA, SAITAMA, SAPPORO, SENDAI, SENJU, SIOGAMA, TOKYO, YAMAGATA, YOKOHAMA and YUDOUFU. The detailed survey for every single auction sale of such fish, can be seen at Annex 001 of this report. 




























































 7

See Reference Document 004: ICCAT Circular 988-09_ENG. Objection by Turkey to Annex 4 of ICCAT Recommendation 08-05. 8 Chief Counsellor, Resources Management Development, Fisheries Agency of Japan. See Reference Document 005, Letter addressed to ICCAT Chairman, with regards to market control in Japan.

7

Chart 001

8

Antecedents Japan has recently submitted (April 6th 2009) its 2008 Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report, were it details its alleged imports of Fresh and Frozen BlueFin Tuna imports during such period, mostly having originated in Mediterranean Tuna Ranches.9 Such figures were subsequently matched against: (See Table 002) •

Statistics for Live BFT having been transferred live into Tuna Ranches (Q2+Q3 2008) according to ICCAT CoC & BCD (BFT Catch Document) 2008 Reports

•

Trade statistics for Fresh and Frozen BlueFin Tuna imports into Japan (January 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009) according to Japan's Trade Statistics, Japan's Ministry of Finance.10

•

Trade statistics Fresh BFT Exports to Japan (July to December 2008) according to Eurostat (Kgs)

•

Disclosed Weights of Auctioned Ranched Fresh BFT at Japan's Major Auction Markets during Q3+Q4 2008

As can be seen in table 002, a number of disparities have been detected between distinct official sources of information. The nature of such disparities, in some cases to be catalogued as plain un-reporting, raises yet again the legitimate question as to the actual level of proactive inspection willingness by fishery officials at both ends of the BFT fishing-ranching-market chain. •

In the case of BFT imports from Algeria, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 16.061 Kgs, of which 7.558 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Croatia, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 2.205.036 Kgs, of which 13.155 Kgs (3.642 Kgs according to Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT) correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q2+Q3+Q4 2008. All of such fish is to be considered as having been caught and ranched during Q3+Q4 2008. Croatia has officially reported the caging of 1.965.654 Kgs of live-BFT during 2008.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Cyprus, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 1.068 Kgs, of which 632 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT. Cyprus has officially reported the caging of 692.550 Kgs of live-BFT during 2008 but according to Eurostat Trade Statistics, Cyprus exported 1.020.200 Kgs of Fresh BFT to Japan during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008. Again, no trace of such fish can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT.






























































 9

See Reference Document 006ª&b: ICCAT Circular 716-09. See Reference Document 007.

10

9

Live BFT having been transferred live into Tuna Ranches (Q2+Q3 2008) according to ICCAT CoC & BCD 2008 Reports

Fresh & Frozen Processed BFT Imports into Japan (July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009) according to Japan's Trade Statistics, Japan's Ministry of Finance (Kgs)

Algeria

0

16.061

7.558

0

0

0

0

Croatia

1.965.654

2.205.036

13.155

504.481

3.642

0

1.257

Cyprus

692.550

1.068

632

0

0

1.020.200

0

France

0

21.140

12.691

0

0

0

0

Greece

553.348

194.125

9.141

0

0

6.400

3.910

1.113.781

528.465

176.588

0

0

1.134.100

33.154

Libya

0

30.392

12.959

0

0

0

0

Malta

3.299.093

2.929.419

26.776

963.093

1.342

828.300

13.601

0

1.276.160

0

0

0

0

0

Spain

1.784.964

2.052.086

215.533

0

0

1.360.900

64.520

Tunisia

2.153.554

1.160.068

12.646

0

0

0

5.825

Turkey

3.681.740

1.517.749

50.999

391.591

21.019

0

16.492

15.244.684

11.931.769

538.678

1.859.165

26.003

4.349.900

138.759

Italy

Morocco

Total

Fresh BFT Imports into Japan (July to December 2008) according to Japan's Trade Statistics, Japan's Ministry of Finance (Kgs)

Fresh & Frozen Processed Ranched BFT Imports into Japan (July to December 2008) according to Japan's Q3+Q4 BFTSD to ICCAT (Kgs)

Table 002

10

Ranched Fresh BFT Imports into Japan (July to December 2008) according to Japan's Q3+Q4 BFTSD to ICCAT (Kgs)

Fresh BFT Exports to Japan (July to December 2008) according to Eurostat (Kgs)

Disclosed Weights of Auctioned Ranched Fresh BFT at Japan's Major Auction Markets during Q3+Q4 2008

•

In the case of BFT imports from France, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 21.140 Kgs, of which 12.691 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT. No trace of such exports to Japan can be found on Eurostat Trade Statistics for the period July 1st 2008 to December 31st 2008.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Greece, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 194.125 Kgs, of which 9.141 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT; whereas 3.910 Kgs of Greek Ranched Fresh BFT were auctioned at Japanese fish markets during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Italy, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 528.465 Kgs, of which 176.588 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT; whereas 33.154 Kgs of Italian Ranched Fresh BFT were auctioned at Japanese fish markets during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008. According to Eurostat Trade Statistics for the period July 1st 2008 to December 31st 2008, Italy exported 1.134.100 Kgs of Fresh BFT to Japan during that period.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Libya, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 30.392 Kgs, of which 12.959 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Malta, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 2.929.419 Kgs, of which 26.776 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008, whereas and according to Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT, Japan would have imported 1.342 Kgs of Fresh BFT during the period. July 1st to December 31st 2008. 13.601 Kgs of Maltese Ranched Fresh BFT were auctioned at Japanese fish markets during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008. According to Eurostat Trade Statistics for that same period, Malta exported 828.300 Kgs of Fresh BFT to Japan11

•

In the case of BFT imports from Morocco, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 1.276.160 Kgs, of which 0 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Spain, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 2.052.086 Kgs, of which 215.533 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. Yet and according to Eurostat Trade Statistics, Spain






























































 11

Specialist fisheries information service World Fish Report, quoted in Fishupdate.com, has revealed that Maltese exports climbed from 1 942 tones in 2007 to 4 098 tones, meeting nearly a third (30%) of Japan’s frozen blue fin import needs on sales totaling €105 million.

11

exported 1.360.900 Kgs of Fresh BFT to Japan during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT; whereas 64.520 Kgs of Spanish Ranched Fresh BFT were auctioned at Japanese fish markets during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008. For the record, Spain has officially reported the caging of 1.784.964Kgs of live-BFT during 2008 •

In the case of BFT imports from Tunisia, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 1.160.068 Kgs, of which 12.646 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008. No trace of such imports can be found on Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT; whereas 5.825 Kgs of Tunisian Ranched Fresh BFT were auctioned at Japanese fish markets during the period July 1st to December 31st 2008.

•

In the case of BFT imports from Turkey, Japan’s Ministry of Finance reports imports of Fresh & Frozen BFT from that country during the period July 1st 2008 to March 30th 2009, amounting to 1.517.749 Kgs, of which 50.999 Kgs correspond to Fresh BFT imported during Q3+Q4 2008, whereas Japan’s Q3+Q4 BFT Statistical Document Report to ICCAT only admits the import of 21.019 Kgs of Fresh BFT during that same period.

12

The Survey’ results According to Charts 002 and 003, •

The number of Mediterranean Ranched Fresh BFTs having been auctioned at the 19 surveyed Japanese fish auction markets and for which weight was disclosed amounted to 7.209 individuals.

•

The number of Mediterranean Ranched Fresh BFTs having been auctioned at the 19 surveyed Japanese fish auction markets and for which weight was not disclosed amounted to 2.096 individuals.

•

Total daily disclosed weights (Kgs) of auctioned ranched fresh BFTs at Japanese auction markets for the period July 1st 2008 to May 1st 2009, amounted to 562.671,20 Kgs.

•

4th week of December and March correspond to the peak BFT auctioning season in Japan. Tokyo Tsukiji Auction Fish Market is by far the most important of all Japanese markets.

Since all of auctioned BlueFins were ranched origin, an assessment of the weight of such fish at catch, that is Wild Round Weight (W/rw), was performed following the following conversion parameters: •

Contrary to scientific advice, some ICCAT CPs have established ranch fattening ratios of up to 50% for BFTs weighing less than 60 Kgs at catch and up to 25% for BFTs weighing more than 60 Kgs at catch. We have thus convened to establish minimum and maximum fattening conversion factor for BFTs below 60 Kgs and above as follows: o

For BFTs ≤ 60 Kgs  

o

Minimum Conversion Factor Wild/Ranched: Maximum Conversion Factor Wild/Ranched:

1,25 1,50

For BFTs > 60 Kgs  

Minimum Conversion Factor Wild/Ranched: Maximum Conversion Factor Wild/Ranched:

1,14 1,25

•

All surveyed auctioned BFTs were fresh, thus a conversion factor Frozen/Fresh of 1,10 was not applicable.

•

We finally chose to apply the following presentation conversion factors, based, to the best of our knowledge, on standard presentations for auctioned Fresh BFTs at main Japanese fish auction markets:

•

o

For BFTs ≤ 60 Kgs

→

GG/F:

1,16

o

For BFTs > 60 Kgs

→

DR/F:

1,25

Since all auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT was properly identified by its Ranch national origin, we were thus able to work on an ICCAT CP by CP basis, thus allowing us to compare size composition of such auctioned BFTs with size composition of all 2008 BFT catches transferred live into Mediterranean Tuna Ranches, country by country. The results of such exercise can be seen in Charts 004 to 011.

13

Chart 002 14

Chart 003 15

Chart 004

16

Chart 005

17

Chart 006

18

Chart 007

19

Chart 008

20

Chart 009

21

Chart 010

22

Chart 011

23

Conclusions •

•

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Spain (Charts 004, 12, 13, 14 & 15): o

The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is consistent with size composition data according to Spain’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC, thus confirming that Spain indeed caged a very high number of immature juvenile BFTs.

o

Spain would have therefore exported and auctioned in Japan, 729 to 1.648 BFTs for which W/rw at catch in 2008, that is prior to fattening, clearly corresponded to that of undersized BFT weighing between 15 and 30 Kgs.

o

Such auctioned W/rw undersized BFTs correspond to 83,74% ~ 88,69% of all W/rw undersized Ranched Fresh BFTs having been auctioned in Japan during the period July 1st 2008 to May 1st 2009.

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Croatia (Charts 005, 12, 13, 14 & 15): The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is not consistent with size composition data according to Croatia’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC. Auctioned Croatian Ranched BFTs weighing over 120 Kgs are likely to correspond to BFTs having been caught outside the Adriatic Sea and imported live into Croatian Tuna Ranches during the 2008 BFT fishing season. Most of Croatia’s Adriatic caught and ranched BFTs are exported Frozen to Japan.

•

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Greece (Charts 006, 12, 13, 14 & 15): The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is not consistent with size composition data according to Greece’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC. This is mainly due to the low amount of Ranched Fresh BFTs having been auctioned by Greek Tuna Ranchers in Japan during the period July 1st 2008 to May 1st 2009.

•

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Italy (Charts 008, 12, 13, 14 & 15): o

The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is consistent with size composition data according to Italy’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC, thus confirming that Italy indeed caged a very high number of immature juvenile BFTs.

o

Italy would have therefore exported and auctioned in Japan, 44 to 159 BFTs for which W/rw at catch in 2008, that is prior to fattening, clearly corresponded to that of undersized BFT weighing between 15 and 30 Kgs.

o

Such auctioned W/rw undersized BFTs correspond to 5,35% ~ 8,08% of all W/rw undersized Ranched Fresh BFTs having been auctioned in Japan during the period July 1st 2008 to May 1st 2009.

24

Chart 012

25

Chart 013 26

Chart 014

27

Chart 015

28

•

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Malta (Charts 009, 12, 13, 14 & 15): The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is consistent with size composition data according to Malta’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC, thus confirming that Malta indeed caged a very high number of immature juvenile BFTs. Maltese Tuna Ranches are traditionally filled with live-BFTs having been caught inside the Libyan 60nm Fisheries Protection Zone, known for its past abundance of large reproductive specimens of 200 Kgs and above. This data confirms the ongoing collapse of such meta-population in an area that was thought to be until recently, the last spawning refuge inside the Mediterranean Sea for the BlueFin Tuna.

•

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Tunisia (Charts 010, 12, 13, 14 & 15): The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is consistent with size composition data according to Tunisia’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC, thus confirming that Tunisia indeed caged a very high number of immature juvenile BFTs. Tunisian Tuna Ranches are traditionally filled with live-BFTs having been caught inside and around the Libyan 60nm Fisheries Protection Zone, known for its past abundance of large reproductive specimens of 200 Kgs and above. This data confirms the ongoing collapse of such meta-population in an area that was thought to be until recently, the last spawning refuge inside the Mediterranean Sea for the BlueFin Tuna.

•

In the case of auctioned Fresh Ranched BFT from Turkey (Charts 011, 12, 13, 14 & 15): o

The composition of total auctioned BFTs by W/rw sizes is consistent with size composition data according to Turkey’s BFT 2008 caging declarations to ICCAT CoC, thus confirming that Turkey indeed caged a very high number of immature juvenile BFTs.

o

Turkey would have therefore exported and auctioned in Japan, 26 to 111 BFTs for which W/rw at catch in 2008, that is prior to fattening, clearly corresponded to that of undersized BFT weighing between 15 and 30 Kgs.

o

Such auctioned W/rw undersized BFTs correspond to 3,16% ~ 5,64% of all W/rw undersized Ranched Fresh BFTs having been auctioned in Japan during the period July 1st 2008 to May 1st 2009.

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Author: Roberto Mielgo Bregazzi Roberto Mielgo Bregazzi is an independent BlueFin Tuna industry/market analyst and consultant. He is the author of the following reports and articles: January 15th 2009: El Triunfo de la Barbarie. Opinion article published by Ruta Pesquera, Spain. December 12th 2008: Data anomaly identified relating to apparent 2007 & 2008 caging and carry-overs of Mediterranean BlueFin Tuna in Malta”. Published by ATRT, SL. September 15th 2008. “Assessment of compliance of Italian fleets and ranches with management rules during the 2008 BlueFin Tuna fishing season” Published by WWF. March 15th 2008. “Race for the last BlueFin - Fishing capacity of the BlueFin Tuna purse-seine fleet inside the Mediterranean Sea” Published by WWF. December 1st 2007. “New evidence points to Spain underreporting BlueFin Tuna Catches in 2006 & 2007” November 1st 2007. “The plunder of BlueFin tuna in the Mediterranean and East Atlantic in 2006 and 2007”. Published by ATRT, SL. March 25th 2007. “ICCAT CIRCULAR # 1823/065: Evidence of incorrect information provided by the EU Commission on behalf of the European Community to the ICCAT Secretariat and ICCAT Contracting Parties”. Report commissioned by Greenpeace. February 12th 2007. “A crime of aggression against Mother Nature”. Published by ATRT, SL. January 15th 2007. “It’s the tuna, stupid…!”. Opinion article published by ATRT,SL. December 4th 2006. “Darwin’s Nightmare²” Opinion article published by ATRT,SL. September 27th 2006. “Technical report about France’s & Italy’s Mediterranean BlueFin tuna fishing fleet and 2004 to 2006 BFT catches and production”. Report commissioned by Secretaria General de Pesca, Madrid, Spain. September 12th 2006. “Thunnus Nostrum, Understanding the Economics fuelling BlueFin Tuna Over-fishing in the Mediterranean Sea & NEA, 2004/2005/2006”. Published by ATRT,SL. July 5th 2006. “The plunder of BlueFin tuna in the Mediterranean and East Atlantic in 2004 and 2005, Uncovering the real story The collapse of fisheries management”. Published by WWF. November 15th 2005. “The Tuna Ranching Intelligence Unit, 2005”. Published by ATRT,SL. November 15th 2004. “The Tuna Ranching Intelligence Unit 2004”. Published by ATRT,SL.

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He attended as an observer to the 15th & 16th and 20th Special and Ordinary Meetings of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), held in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik between November 17th & 26th 2006, the Turkish city of Antalya between November 9th & 18th 2007 and the Moroccan city of Marrakesh between November 17th & 24th 2008.