mr president all elements of this agreement are important but i want to focus on the bluefin tuna issue
it is vital that we act now to prevent a stock collapse and to allow the numbers of bluefin tuna to recover
in two thousand and six the international commission for the conservation of atlantic tuna agreed on an action plan designed to improve reporting and monitoring of stocks and inspection of vessels
but it is clear that it is not enough
the stocks particularly the eastern stock in the mediterranean remains critically low and there is a very real risk that we will soon witness the extinction of this endangered species
the conference of the parties to cites should therefore agree to place bluefin tuna in appendix i of the convention and the member states and the commission must do more to combat illegal fishing and to enforce agreed restrictions and quotas
