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Article

An electronic tracking system is launched to protect an endangered species - Bluefin tuna http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/10/18/sci-bluefin-tuna-threat.html

Summary

Bluefin tuna can be served in many ways because of its tender red meat and it provides a lot of required valuable nutrients for our daily diets. Due to the popularity of Eastern Atlantic Bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, excessively catches and trades across the world cause this fish to be a rare and endangered species. According to a scientific study, rare eastern Atlantic Bluefin tuna is being caught and traded over twice as much as allowed catch quotas. There is a gap of 141 per cent between last two years and this data does not even include black market worldwidely, it directly affects the stocks of the world’s most expensive fish and bring the extreme pressure to the stock market. Therefore, in the depressed stock market of the Mediterranean, the stocks have collapsed by 80 per cent over the past 35 years. Bluefin tuna in both the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic becomes a symbolic fish which also marks the collapse of stocks across the globe. Over the past decade, the fish market catches extremely beyond the catch quotas and the excess amount is over $2.7 billion. Bluefin tuna trades are often filled with lie and miscommunication. A change from corruptive paper documents to an electronic detailed surveillance is requested to protect the trade of Bluefin tuna when the season opens in 2012. The European Union takes an action by launching an electronic tracking system which would improve efficiency and accuracy for Bluefin tuna trade. The electronic tracking system will provide a bar code for each Bluefin tuna caught. It will monitor and follow the track of each Bluefin from caught immediately to the location where the Bluefin tuna reach. Therefore, information about each Bluefin tuna can be easily checked. Because of excessive trade and catch, Bluefin tuna is close to extinction.

Analysis

As Bluefin tuna become an endangered species, its decrease in number will definitely affect the entire ecosystem of the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. Not only would Bluefin tuna, other species of fish which depend on Bluefin tuna for living in the food chain would also be affected as well.

Excessive trade and catch of Bluefin tuna that exceed the allowed catch quotas does not help the growth of economy and improve the prosperity of fish market. On the opposite, it collapses the stocks of Bluefin tuna which leads to downturn in economy.

The European Union takes a positive action against over catch and trade of Bluefin tuna by launching an electronic tracking system, first of all, corruptive-prone paper documentations can be avoid or at least decreased the amount, which would avoid some unnecessary loss such as black market, at the same, it avoid evitable costs. By monitoring the track of each Bluefin tuna, it prevents the Bluefin tuna flow into black market as well.

The electronic tracking system would provide a better trading environment worldwidely because with the bar code on each Bluefin tuna caught, information about them are more clear and accurate, at the same times, can be exchanged easily, therefore it is more convenience, the system makes the trade easier, therefore less misunderstanding and scheme.

Last but not least, the electronic tracking system monitors every movement of the Bluefin tuna caught, it is easier to control the number of Bluefin tuna caught and traded within the market in order to consistent with the catch quotas. This will also balance the ecosystem of the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic. Moreover, it gains control of the stocks of Bluefin tuna.

Less catching, the number of Bluefin tuna would not decrease that rapidly, therefore it gives them time to reproduce and breed. The technological protection of Bluefin tuna establishes the balance of trade, which would leads to the stability ecosystem. Therefore, the stocks of Bluefin tuna would uprise again. It is also going to drive the economy of the Mediterranean.

The launch of electronic tracking system is a large amount of input and cost by putting a bar code on each Bluefin tuna, but it will keep track of how many tuna is being caught, and therefore it helps to maintain the same level as catch quotas. Without the electronic tracking system, if the excessive catch and trade continues, it is possible the species of Bluefin tuna completely disappear; this cost cannot be recovered at all.