Pacific solidarity to conserve fish.

25/08/0], GREENPEACE, HAWAII -- As the 3rd Regular Session Scientific Committee of the Western Central Pacific Commission (WCPFC) wrapped up its meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, Greenpeace backed the need for Pacific solidarity to save the Pacific tuna stocks from commercial extinction.

"Scientists are now saying there is a 50% chance our most valuable tuna stock, yellow fin, is being exploited at unsustainable levels. It's past the time strict effort reduction measures are implemented;" said Greenpeace Australia Pacific Oceans Team Leader Nilesh Goundar. "We urge all Pacific members of the Tuna Commission to hold firm to the agreed cuts of 25% to big eye and lo% to yellow fin catches and encourage individual countries to go even further and cut fishing in their waters by up to 50%, as recommended in our own scientific report." Mr Goundar said tuna is the Pacific people's principal resource and too many boats chasing too few fish will add up to a race to ecological disaster and economic ruin. "With record high tuna catches valued at around US$3billion, we are in great danger of ignoring the warnings scientists have issued since 2001, in the rush to let foreign fishers catch our last fish;" said Mr Goundar. "The official catch figures don't count the rampant illegal and unregulated fishing that occurs throughout the Pacific, so the wisest course is to set stronger limits to allowable fishing levels." A 50% cut to fishing will create a win-win solution for pacific economies and for the future of our valuable tuna stocks;" he said.