MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) 鈥� An over sustainable tuna fishing continues to simmer after the use of destructive driftnets despite opposition from the European bloc.
Civil society organizations sent a petition Wednesday to the EU's oceans and environment commissioner, Virginijus Sinkevi膷ius, accusing fisheries lobbies of exerting undue pressure on Brussels to object to the ban which applies to fisheries devices used by some corporations in the bloc.
The much-criticized driftnets are 鈥渁t the heart of the European fleets鈥� in the Indian Ocean, said Claire Nouvian who heads the scientific non-governmental organization Bloom and is one of the signatories of the petition.
The EU is a major consumer of tuna, and its powerful fishing fleets trawl distant oceans to meet the continental demand.
Over 90% of tuna sold in the EU comes from the Indian Ocean and is caught through controversial fisheries aggregating devices, according to the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission.
The EU said it had sent a 鈥渃omprehensive proposal鈥� on the driftnets that addressed concerns on usage, plastic pollution and marking gear. It added that it is 鈥渟upportive of the adoption of a strong management measure for yellowfin tuna and other tropical species.鈥�
Susan Jackson, the president of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, urged regional fisheries management organizations to 鈥渃ooperate, communicate and collaborate鈥� and to turn to the science to cool down tensions between negotiating blocs.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Jackson said science could help 鈥渄epoliticize鈥� decision-making which would in turn improve 鈥渢he sustainability of global tuna fisheries and the ecosystems that support them.鈥� ___
Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP鈥檚 climate initiative . The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Wanjohi Kabukuru, The Associated Press
