Conservation group WWF wants Hong Kong's government to join Monaco in calling for a ban on the trade of endangered northern bluefin tuna.
The Principality of Monaco submitted a proposal to include northern bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) on July 27. Then, several countries including France and Britain joined Monaco's call.
WWF Hong Kong's head of marine programme Dr Guillermo Moreno says if this globally threatened species was listed on Appendix I, no country which is a signatory to Cites - including the mainland - would but or sell the fish.
Moreno pointed out that according to the trade statistics, the amount of bluefin tuna imported to Hong Kong has jumped from 46 tonnes to 144 tonnes since 2006.
Yet consumption does not appear to have increased proportionally to the amount imported. This indicates that apart from a big consumer, Hong Kong might be one of the major Asian repositories of frozen bluefin tuna.
WWF launched a campaign in July to ask for caterers to stop selling bluefin tuna.
