Tashkent: Signatories to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington convention, voted at a committee meeting on Thursday to reject a proposal to restrict the trade of all eel species, including the Japanese eel. The proposal, submitted by the European Union, was aimed at addressing concerns about declining eel populations due to catches for export.
According to Philippines News Agency, the EU argued that a decrease in one species' population leads to the excessive exploitation of others. However, Japan opposed the proposal, citing a lack of scientific evidence. Japan expressed concerns that the proposed restriction could affect the price and supply of eels, which are integral to Japanese food culture.
In the anonymous vote, 100 of the 143 participating signatories opposed the proposal, while 35 supported it. Countries such as the United States, China, South Korea, and India were among those opposing the restriction, highlighting potential negative impacts on legal fishing activities.
"We're relieved," Japanese fisheries minister Norikazu Suzuki told reporters in Tokyo following the vote. Suzuki noted that Japanese government officials had engaged with foreign embassies in Japan to explain their position prior to the Washington convention conference in Uzbekistan. Efforts were also made to gain international cooperation during the conference.
The minister mentioned that opposition from numerous African countries significantly influenced the outcome of the vote. He referred to the Tokyo International Conference on African Development as "a great opportunity" to secure their cooperation.
A final decision on the proposal is anticipated at a plenary meeting of the Washington convention conference on December 5. Last month, the convention's secretariat suggested that restricting trade in all eel species might be reasonable. Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations pointed out a lack of evidence for any causal relationship between the eel trade and declining eel populations.
