12:30PM
11.19.10
Bad Start as EU rejects quota in summit to save the giant bluefin tuna
The European Union fishing area has decided against proposed plans to help endangered fish. The rejected plan had a quota that would be used to protect endangered fish. The fish population is currently less than half of what it was 40 years ago. One of the main fish that is endangered is the Atlantic bluefin. This fish is able to grow to the size of a horse, is incredibly fast and very profitable in the Japanese market. The most bluefin that were able to be caught in 2010 was 13,500 metric tons; but it is suggested that save the fish the number should be lowered to 6,000 metric tons in 2011. This latest decision of the EU is causing controversy because it proves to be a conflict of interest. The European union is trying to increase environmental standards but at the same time is only willing to give up so much.
This week we see as always our human actions have an effect on the wildlife around us. In this case we are overfishing which is causing a large decline in the fish population. Some may not see this as a problem. But nature is self sufficient, she takes care of herself. But as humans continue to overuse resources it causes the ecosystem to not function the way it is supposed to causing problems beneath the sea. As the ecosystem weakens the people wanting the Bluefin will have to pay a higher price. A simple fish is now impacting the prices in an entire industry. Our actions continue to affect the world around us. And there is always a fight between conservation and human growth and quality of life. As I have said every week, we need to sit down and think about what we care about. Would we eat less exotic fish if it meant saving money and helping out our planet? Because if we keep destroying this one, nobody will have a place to live.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europe/bad-start-as-eu-rejects-quotas-in-summit-to-save-the-giant-bluefin-tuna/article1803982/
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