17 November 2014: The Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis) has moved from the Least Concern to the Vulnerable category on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. IUCN released the updated Red List, which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, at its World Parks Congress.

The Red List assesses 76,199 species, finding that 22,413 are threatened with extinction. In addition to the Pacific Bluefin Tuna, IUCN has highlighted the American Eel (Anguilla rostrata), the Black Grass-dart Butterfly (Ocybadistes knightorum), Chinese Cobra (Naja atra) and Chinese Pufferfish (Takifugu chinensis) as threatened with extinction as a result of a “growing appetite for resources.” The Bluefin Tuna and the Pufferfish, for instance, are targeted by the Asian fishing industry for the sushi and sashimi markets. The Bluefin Tuna is estimated to have declined between 19 to 33% over the past 22 years, while the Pufferfish have declined by 99.99% over the past 40 years. The decline of the Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica) has contributed to poaching of the American Eel to meet growing food demand.

Habitat destruction or loss, including as a result of climate change, has also contributed to the decline of several species, including 66 threatened chameleon species and the Black Grass-dart Butterfly. In Peninsular Malaysia, the destruction of a limestone hill caused the extinction of a snail species (Plectostoma sciaphilum). “Recent extinctions could have been avoided through better habitat protection,” according to the Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, Simon Stuart. At the same time, he highlighted two amphibian species that have improved their status “thanks to successful management of Colombia’s Ranita Dorada Reserve.”

To address biodiversity decline, IUCN urges better protected area (PA) management, noting that nearly half of the assessed species occur within PAs. IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre, said scientific evidence demonstrates the role of PAs in reversing biodiversity loss. She explained, “Experts warn that threatened species poorly represented in PAs are declining twice as fast as those which are well represented. Our responsibility is to increase the number of PAs and ensure that they are effectively managed so that they can contribute to saving our planet’s biodiversity.”

For species such as the Pacific Bluefin Tuna and the Chinese Pufferfish, IUCN suggests expanding marine PAs within 200 miles of the coast, creating MPAs that are closed to trawling and implementing conservation and management measures such as reducing juvenile fish catch and controlling harvests.

The World Parks Congress is taking place from 12-19 November 2014, in Sydney, Australia. [IUCN Press Release] [IUCN Red List] [IISD RS Coverage of World Parks Congress]