The International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute today dismissed findings from a World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Panel as little more than a ploy to sacrifice dolphins and undermine the successful dolphin safe labeling program passed by the US Congress.
“The WTO shouldn’t reward Mexico’s choice to kill dolphins in the name of 'free trade,'” stated David Phillips, Director of the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute. “Repeatedly, the WTO, with no biological basis, has insisted that Mexico should have access to the US Dolphin Safe label, despite their tuna being stained by the blood of dolphins.”
“It is high time for Mexico to quit this environmentally destructive fishing practice, rather than trying to force its dolphin deadly tuna onto US supermarket shelves by constant whining about trade barriers.
“Mexico should meet the same rules as every other fishing nation, namely to use the dolphin safe label, you can’t be intentionally setting nets, capturing, and killing dolphins. To do otherwise makes a mockery of the labeling program,” stated Phillips.
"Time and time again the WTO has shown it doesn’t care about wildlife, the environment or truth in labeling,” added Phillips.
Earth Island helped establish the international standards for Dolphin Safe tuna, which provide that dolphins are never chased, netted or killed during tuna fishing operations. The dolphin safe tuna labeling law has been a critical factor in curtailing the largest scale killing of dolphins in the world. The Mexican fleet, by contrast, deliberately targets dolphins, killing thousands in tuna nets during the fishing year.
For more information on Dolphin Safe tuna: http://www.dolphinsafetuna.com