Summary: Ms. Stewart reviews the history of the tuna-dolphin controversy in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. She explores international agreements and U.S. law that mandate dolphin-safe tuna fishing practices. Finally, Ms. Stewart reviews the steps taken by the United States, including embargoes against other countries’ tuna, to force tuna-fishing nations to use dolphin-safe practices.
Summary:
Plaintiff sought a preliminary injunction to prevent defendant government official from lifting the embargo against tuna from Mexico's vessels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Plaintiffs alleged irreparable injury if three stocks of dolphins became extinct. The court found plaintiffs failed to produce evidence showing irreparable injury.
Summary:
This case concerns the practice of catching yellowfin tuna by encircling dolphins with purse-seine nets. The dispute centers over whether tuna sellers may label tuna as dolphin-safe if caught with such nets. An environmental group brought suit against the Secretary of Commerce after he concluded that there was insufficient evidence to show that tuna purse seine fishing harmed depleted dolphin stocks in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP). The Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court's decision that the action by the Secretary was arbitrary and capricious where the agency's decision-making process was influenced to some degree by foreign policy considerations rather than science alone. Further, the finding of no significant impact (FONSI) was not rationally connected to the best available scientific evidence.
Summary:
The Secretary of Commerce made a final finding that the intentional deployment on or encirclement of dolphins using purse seine nets did not have a significant adverse effect on any depleted dolphin stock in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. Several organizations challenged that finding under the Administrative Procedures Act, and the matter came before this Court along with simultaneous motions for summary judgment from both the plaintiff and defendant. The Court concluded that Plaintiff's met their burden of demonstrating that they are entitled to judgment, and the finding of the Secretary is set aside.
Summary:
Defendants, secretary and government agencies, appealed the decision fo the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, in favor of plaintiff captains invalidating an agency regulation pertaining to the taking and related acts incidental to commercial fishing.
Summary:
Environmental groups challenge implementations of the International Dolphin Conservation Program Act ("IDCPA") which amended the MMPA and revised the criteria for banning tuna imports.
Summary:
This paper examines what makes a Bluefin Tuna unique both scientifically and as an economic commodity. Further, the paper analyzes the current international laws and actions taken to address Southern Bluefin Tuna’s seemingly imminent extinction. The paper concludes by recognizing that while these efforts encouraged conservation, more government enforcement and leadership is needed to ensure the survival of Southern Bluefin Tuna.
Summary:
The article discusses the history of the tuna and dolphin story, beginning with an explanation of the nets and techniques used to catch tuna, the development of laws to protect dolphins, and the dolphin-safe tuna issue.
