Bluefin campaign intensifies

Following Monaco's ban on the sale of bluefin tuna (see our story [1]), Prince Albert has stepped up the campaign to save the fish.

In a letter sent to the Wall Street Journal [2], Prince Albert and Charles Clover raised the issue of poor management of fishing quotas by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). There is a real fear that if action is not taken soon, the species may be beyond saving. The Prince's letter proposed that the survival of the fish should be placed in the hands of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species [3] (CITES), which would enable a ban to be placed on international trade. Monaco is proposing the listing and requests the USA's support in what is likely to be a tough fight with the tuna's chief consumer, Japan. Up to now, France has pledged its support, as has Britain, so it's hopeful that the proposed ban will succeed when CITES meets to discuss it in March next year.

No bluefin tuna to be seen...

Another species that's being championed by the Principality is the striped dolphin, which has been classified as a vulnerable species by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [4]. The Mediterranean striped dolphins' habitat is being affected by climate change and pollution, so the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco [5] is supporting a study to assess current stocks and understand migratory patterns. The results will help conservationists to define protection zones.

Prince Albert's interest in conservation isn't limited to sea creatures. He's recently become a Species Champion for the critically endangered Northern Bald Ibis. The species is one of the rarest birds, with fewer than 500, breeding only in Syria and Morocco. Conservation efforts are now being supported by a 3 year grant from the Fondation.