世界の食欲によって新たに生物が絶滅のふちへ–IUCNレッドリスト

クロマグロ、カラスフグ（Takifugu chinensis）、アメリカウナギ、タイワンコブラそしてオーストラリアのチョウが絶滅の危機に

シドニー、オーストラリア（2014年11月17日）—漁業、伐採、採掘、農業といった世界の食欲を満たす活動が、クロマグロ、カラスフグ、アメリカウナギ、タイワンコブラの生存をおびやかしており、生息地の破壊が、マレーシアの貝や世界最大のハサミムシを絶滅させ、多くの種の生存が脅かされていることが、IUCNの最新のレッドリストで明らかになった。

クロマグロTunnus orientalis (C)Monterey Bay Aquarium_Randy Wilder	アメリカウナギAnguilla rostrata (C)Clinton & Charles Robertson_Flickr CC BY 2.0

今年50周年を迎えるIUCNレッドリストは今回の発表で76199種を評価し、そのうち22,413種が絶滅の危機であることが分かった。新たに評価された種の半分は、保護地域内に生息し、生物多様性のさらなる損失を止めるためにも、IUCNは保護地域のよりよい管理を求めていきたい。

「IUCNレッドリストが発表されるたびに、この想像を超えた素晴らしい生命の多様性さが私たちの住む惑星から失われ続けていることを実感します。それらは私たちの食を満たそう賭するための破壊な活動に大きく起因するのです」とIUCN事務局長ジュリアマートンルフェーブルは語る。「しかし、保護地域が、この傾向を反転させるための中心的な役割を演じることができるという科学的な確証もあります。専門家は、保護地域でしっかり生息地が守られてない種は、しっかり守られている種と比べて、２倍の速度で個体数を減らしていることを警告しています。私たちの責任として、保護地域の数を増やし、それらの効果的な管理を行ない、そうすることで、私たちの地球の多様性を守ることに貢献することです」

本日の更新で、クロマグロ(Thunnus orientalis)が軽度懸念から絶滅危惧Ⅱ類へと移った、すなわち、絶滅の危機にあることを意味する。この生物種は、アジアに集中する寿司や刺身市場を目的に強い漁業対象とされている。この魚はほとんど幼魚としてとられることから、再繁殖の機会を奪われ、個体数は、過去22年の間に19−33％減少したと推定される。

既存の海洋保護区ではこの種の保護に十分ではない。200海里と繁殖地を含めて海洋保護区を拡大することが、この種の保全を助けうると、IUCNの専門家は語る。

「クロマグロの市場価格は上昇を続けている」とブルース・コレット（Bruce Collette）IUCN種の保存委員会マグロ類専門家グループ部会長は語る。「漁業関係者が、幼魚の漁獲数削減を含む保全や管理手法を実施しない限り、短期的にはこの種の状況を改善することは見込めない」

カラスフグ(Takifugu chinensis)はIUCNレッドリストに、絶滅危惧1A類として判定された。過剰捕獲により、個体数が99.99%減少したと考えられている。日本で食べられる魚として有名で、刺身として食べられる代表的な４種のフグの１つである。世界でも最も強い毒をもつ魚の一つであり、食べる前のの前に適切な加工が必要である。カラスフグは中国沿岸の海洋保護区にも生息している。トロール漁業の行なわれる海域の近くに海洋保護区を作るといった保全手法が行なわれてきた。しかし、この種の絶滅を食い止めるためには、漁獲について緊急に規制することが必要であるとIUCNの専門家は指摘する」

アメリカウナギ(Anguilla rostrata)は、回遊の障害、気候変動、寄生、汚染、生息地の破壊、商業的漁獲の影響により、絶滅危惧１B類として記載された。ニホンウナギ(Anguilla japonica)の減少（おなじく絶滅危惧Ⅰb類）に伴い、東アジアの養鰻産業がアメリカウナギなどの他の種を資源として求めている。これがアメリカ合衆国でのアメリカウナギの漁獲の報告増につながった。この種に圧力をかけるいくつもの危機要因があるが、積極的な保全活動は状況の改善をもたらしうるだろう。

「世界的な食料市場はこれらの種や他の種に非持続可能な圧力をかけている」とジェーンスマートIUCN生物多様性グループ部長は語る。「我々は、漁獲に厳格な制限を行なうことが緊急に必要で、生息地を守るための適切な手法をとる必要がある」

「近年の絶滅は、生息地を適切に守ることで避けることができる」とIUCN種の保存委員会サイモンスチュワート氏は主張する。「今回の発表には、コロンビアのRanita Dorada保全地域に生息する２種類の両生類が良い管理の結果、状況が改善したというニュースが入っている。このような成功をもっと見ていくための積極的な行動をとる責任があり、そうすることで健全な地球に向けて積極的な影響を与えていくことができる」

＊＊＊＊＊＊仮訳ここまで＊＊＊＊＊＊

IUCNレッドリスト発表の解説

日本の水産行政に厳しい目　−海洋保護区制度の充実なしには、「和食」の未来はない

公益財団法人　日本自然保護協会　保護・研究部　国際担当主任
国際自然保護連合日本委員会（IUCN-J)　事務局長
道家哲平

今回、IUCNは身近な食に関わる生物を中心にプレスリリースで紹介しています。そしてその４種のうち3種が主に日本人の食卓にあがる種（クロマグロ、アメリカウナギ、カラスフグ）だったことは、日本の水産行政や消費者政策（教育）に大きな問題があったことを示唆します。

クロマグロやカラスフグなど日本の漁業や食と深く関わる種について、今回のリスト掲載はどんな影響があるのでしょうか？という疑問がわくと思います。

レッドリストでの絶滅危惧種指定そのものに法的効果は発揮しません。ただし、今のままでは絶滅してしまう（食べられなくなってしまう）ということなので、私たちが食べ続けたければ、あるいは、子ども達の世代が食べられるようにするには、漁獲量の規制措置や生息地の保全対策（海洋保護区の設置）も含めた対処策を、各国は考えていかなければいけないというメッセージといえます。

特に、6月のニホンウナギに引き続き、プレスリリースではアジアと言っていますがほぼ日本人の食欲を満たすために、ニホンウナギ、クロマグロ、アメリカウナギが絶滅危惧種となってしまった日本の水産行政や消費者政策に向けられる海外の目は厳しいと考えられます。

日本の食文化「和食」はユネスコ無形文化遺産に指定されましたが、その和食文化の実態が生物を絶滅に追いやる文化であるならば、決して世界に誇れるものとはいえず、世界に広まってはならない文化とまでなってしまいます。

また、IUCNが強く指摘しているのは、漁獲量の制限だけでは、この種の持続可能な利用にはつながらないということです。日本の海洋保護区制度を効果的なものにしていく努力が必要と考えます。

●日本の海洋保護区について、詳しくは活動記録をご覧ください。
https://www.nacsj.or.jp/katsudo/wetland/2012/05/83.html

＊3種に関する補足情報：

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日本の海の自然を守るため、ご支援をお願いします。

Global appetite for resources pushing new species to the brink – IUCN Red List

PacificBluefin Tuna, Chinese Pufferfish, American Eel, Chinese Cobra and an Australian butterfly are threatened with extinction

Sydney, Australia 17 November, 2014 (IUCN) ―Fishing, logging, mining, agriculture and other activities to satisfy our growing  appetite for resources are threatening the survival of the Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Chinese Pufferfish, American Eel and Chinese Cobra, while the destruction of habitat has caused the extinction of a Malaysian mollusc and the world’s largest known earwig, and threatens the survival of many other species ― according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(TM) released today at the IUCN World Parks Congress taking place in Sydney, Australia.

The IUCN Red List, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, now includes 76,199 assessed species, of which 22,413 are threatened with extinction.  As nearly half of the newly assessed species occur within protected areas, IUCN calls for better management of these places to stop further biodiversity decline.

“Each update of the IUCN Red List makes us realize that our planet is constantly losing its incredible diversity of life, largely due to our destructive actions to satisfy our growing appetite for resources,” says IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefevre. “But we have scientific evidence that protected areas can play a central role in reversing this trend. Experts warn that threatened species poorly represented in protected areas are declining twice as fast as those which are well represented. Our responsibility is to increase the number of protected areas and ensure that they are effectively managed so that they can contribute to saving our planet’s biodiversity.”

With today’s update, the Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis) has moved from the Least Concern category to Vulnerable, which means that it is now threatened with extinction. The species is extensively targeted by the fishing industry for the sushi and sashimi markets predominantly in Asia. Most of the fish caught are juveniles which have not yet had a chance to reproduce and the population is estimated to have declined by 19 to 33% over the past 22 years.

Existing marine protected areas do not provide sufficient protection for the species. The expansion of marine protected areas, within 200 miles of the coast and incorporating breeding areas, could help conserve the species, according to IUCN experts.

“The Pacific Bluefin Tuna market value continues to rise,” says Bruce Collette, Chair, IUCN Species Survival CommissionTuna and Billfish Specialist Group.  “Unless fisheries implement the conservation and management measures developed for the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, including a reduction in the catches of juvenile fish, we cannot expect its status to improve in the short term.” 

The Chinese Pufferfish (Takifugu chinensis) has entered the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered. Its global population is estimated to have declined by 99.99% over the past 40 years due to overexploitation. A popular food fish in Japan, it is among the top four fugu species consumed as sashimi. One of the world’s most poisonous fish, fugu need to be expertly prepared before consumption. The Chinese Pufferfish occurs in several marine protected areas throughout the coastal waters of China. Conservation measures, such as the creation of marine protected areas which are annually closed to trawling, have been implemented. However, harvest still needs to be urgently controlled to prevent the species’ extinction, say IUCN experts.

The American Eel (Anguilla rostrata), listed as Endangered is threatened by barriers to migration; climate change; parasites; pollution; habitat loss and commercial harvest.  Due to the decline of the Japanese Eel (Anguilla japonica), also listed as Endangered, the intensive eel farming industry in East Asia is seeking to replenish seed stock with other species, such as the American Eel. This has led to increased reports of poaching of the American Eel in the United States. Whilst the combination of these threats is placing pressure on the species, positive conservation action could result in an improvement in its status.

The Chinese Cobra (Naja atra) has been newly assessed as Vulnerable. Its population has declined by 30 to 50% over the past 20 years. Chinese Cobras are found in south-eastern China, Taiwan, northern Viet Nam and Lao PDR, and are among the top animal species exported from mainland China to Hong Kong for the food market. Chinese Cobras are found in protected areas such as Ailaoshan Nature Reserve, Daweishan Nature Reserve (Yunnan) and Kenting National Park (Taiwan).  Although international trade in the species is regulated, there is an urgent need to strengthen national conservation initiatives to ensure its survival.

“The growing food market is putting unsustainable pressure on these and other species,” says Jane Smart, Global Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Group. “We urgently need to impose strict limits on harvesting and take appropriate measures to protect habitats.”

This Red List update also highlights several species that have been impacted by habitat destruction, including all 66 threatened chameleon species, despite some of these species occurring within protected areas. The Giant East Usambara Blade-horned Chameleon, Kinyongia matschiei, endemic to the East Usambara mountains of Tanzania, has been listed as Endangered. Like many other chameleons, this species uses colour for communication. It also darkens when stressed and wraps its tail around branches to remain secure. Found in the Amani Nature Reserve, a protected area, this reptile is threatened by the clearance of forests for agriculture, charcoal production and extraction of timber.

The Black Grass-dart Butterfly (Ocybadistes knightorum) has entered the IUCN Red List as Endangered.  Found only in the northern New South Wales coastal region of Australia, the species is threatened primarily due to the invasion of introduced weeds and coastal development destroying its habitat. A significant proportion of its habitat exists in protected areas such as Bongil Bongil National Park and Gaagal Wonggan (South Beach) National Park, and the effective management of these areas could play an important role in securing the species’ future. The threat from weed invasion is being managed in some reserves where key habitat patches have responded well to weeding, resulting in successful habitat rehabilitation.

Two species have been declared Extinct due to habitat destruction. Plectostoma sciaphilum, a snail known from a single limestone hill in Peninsular Malaysia is now listed as Extinct as a result of the hill being entirely destroyed by limestone quarrying by a large company. The future of several other species in the region is uncertain for similar reasons. Whilst some mining companies are starting to take the necessary steps to reduce impact, IUCN is urging stronger commitment to prevent further extinctions.

The St Helena Giant Earwig (Labidura herculeana) ― the world’s largest known earwig attaining a length of up to 80 mm ? has also gone extinct. Previously found in Horse Point Plain, a protected area on St Helena Island, the last confirmed live adult of this insect was seen in May 1967.  Since the early 1960s, its habitat has been degraded by the removal of nearly all shelter-providing surface stones for construction purposes. Increased predator pressures from mice, rats and invasive predatory invertebrates also contributed to the earwig’s extinction.

“These recent extinctions could have been avoided through better habitat protection,” says Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. “Today’s update also highlights two amphibian species which have improved in status thanks to successful management of Colombia’s Ranita Dorada Reserve, where they occur. We need to take more responsibility for our actions to see many more successes like this one, and to have a positive impact on the health of our planet.”

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For more information or interviews please contact:
Ewa Magiera, IUCN Media Relations, m +61 (0) 43 40 25 278, e ewa.magiera@iucn.org
Lynne Labanne, IUCN Global Species Programme, IUCN, m +41 79 527 7221, e lynne.labanne@iucn.org
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Download : IUCN Red List update 2014.3 Summary Statistics
IUCN Red List Partner quotes

“Saving threatened species requires identifying and conserving the most significant sites for nature. BirdLife’s Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas are used by governments worldwide to help target the designation of protected areas”, says Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Head of Science.

“We are living in a world where nature is under the gun more than ever before, and we need to recognize nature doesn’t need people. People need nature. These species are important in their own right, but also are essential for our own survival because they are important cogs in the complex and delicate ecosystems that provide human beings with essential ecosystem services such as fresh water, climate regulation, disaster prevention, and many others,” says Dr Russell A. Mittermeier, Executive Vice Chair of Conservation International. “As we enter the 6th World Parks Congress in Sydney, we need to recognize that protected areas are essential for the long-term survival of endangered species, but also are fundamentally important in meeting the major challenges facing our planet, from putting society on a sustainable development path to adapting to climate change. There has never been more urgency to create, effectively manage and finance parks and protected areas than now, and we hope that there will be major commitments made at this Congress to change the scale of protection worldwide – for all the benefits that protected areas provide.”

“Of particular concern is the decline of fish like the Pacific Bluefin Tuna due to overexploitation. We have seen the near extinction already of species like the Atlantic Cod due to similar poorly regulated practices. This should be a clear warning signal that we need better regulation and enforcement of marine fisheries, combined with the establishment of marine protected areas that secure important spawning areas to allow for the recovery of severely depleted stocks,” says Dr Thomas Lacher, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University. “The World Parks Congress, currently taking place in Sydney, Australia, is addressing these concerns in numerous sessions and meetings, but we need broad international collaboration to make these plans a reality.”

“It is so encouraging to see many plant species being added to the Red List for the first time. Species in the birch family have now been assessed, for example, showing which trees are in urgent need of conservation attention,” says Sara Oldfield, Secretary General, Botanic Gardens Conservation International. “Birches are vital components of temperate ecosystems and we cannot afford to lose any single species.”

Notes to editors

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species（TM) contributes to the achievement of Target 12 of the 2011 to 2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. Target 12: By 2020 the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained.

Global figures for the 2014.3 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:

TOTAL SPECIES ASSESSED = 76,199

(Total threatened species = 22,413)

Extinct = 832
Extinct in the Wild = 69
Critically Endangered = 4,635
Endangered = 6,940
Vulnerable = 10,838
Near Threatened = 5,103
Lower Risk/conservation dependent = 239  (this is an old category that is gradually being phased out of The IUCN Red List)
Least Concern = 34,934
Data Deficient = 12,609

The figures presented above are only for those species that have been assessed for The IUCN Red List to date. Although not all of the world’s species have been assessed, The IUCN Red List provides a useful snapshot of what is happening to species today and highlights the urgent need for conservation action. Relative percentages for threatened species cannot be provided for many taxonomic groups on The IUCN Red List because they have not been comprehensively assessed. For many of these groups, assessment efforts have focussed on threatened species; therefore, the percentage of threatened species for these groups would be heavily biased.

For those groups that have been comprehensively assessed, the percentage of threatened species can be calculated, but the actual number of threatened species is often uncertain because it is not known whether Data Deficient (DD) species are actually threatened or not. Therefore, the percentages presented above provide the best estimate of extinction risk for those groups that have been comprehensively assessed (excluding Extinct species), based on the assumption that Data Deficient species are equally threatened as data sufficient species. In other words, this is a mid-point figure within a range from x% threatened species (if all DD species are not threatened) to y% threatened species (if all DD species are threatened). Available evidence indicates that this is a best estimate.

The IUCN Red List threat categories are as follows, in descending order of threat:

Extinct or Extinct in the Wild
Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable: species threatened with global extinction;
Near Threatened: species close to the threatened thresholds or that would be threatened without ongoing specific conservation measures;
Least Concern: species evaluated with a lower risk of extinction;
Data Deficient: no assessment because of insufficient data.

Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct): this is not a new Red List category, but is a flag developed to identify those Critically Endangered species that are in all probability already Extinct but for which confirmation is required, for example, through more extensive surveys being carried out and failing to find any individuals.

Highlights from the 2014.3 update
Below are a few examples of species that have been up-listed, down-listed or appear for the first time on The IUCN Red List.

Examples of other species that have been added in this update

Charopa lafargei, listed as Critically Endangered, is a new species of snail discovered at the northern end of Gunung Kanthan, Malaysia.  It has been named after the mining company Lafarge recognising that most of the hill is within a concession being quarried by Lafarge Malaysia. The continued existence of this species will depend in large part on the actions of the company.

The Kaputar Pink Slug (Triboniophorus sp. nov. “Kaputar”) is endemic to Mount Kaputar in New South Wales, Australia. It is listed as Endangered based on its restricted range and threats from climate change and habitat loss.  The species is naturally very limited in its distribution and habitat requirements, as it occupies the highest parts of Mount Kaputar and as the area increases in temperature and habitats disappear, this species has nowhere to move to.  Habitat is being degraded by increased frequency of fire and grazing of feral pigs. Much of the high-elevation wet eucalypt forest on freehold properties bordering the eastern edge of Mount Kaputar National Park has been cleared for agriculture and it is likely that the majority of off-park habitat for this species has been lost.

The Giant Kokopu (Galaxias argenteus), a freshwater fish endemic to New Zealand, has been assessed as Vulnerable. Whilst it is harvested as a component of the domestic whitebait fishery, this species has suffered decline mainly as a result of the loss and degradation of its habitat through drainage of wetlands and straightening of river channel systems. Around 85 to 90% of New Zealand’s wetlands have been lost over the last 100 years. There are, however, secure stronghold populations of the species in Rakiura National Park, a protected area on Stewart Island. Conservation measures are being undertaken to save the species from extinction, including shortening of the whitebait season.

Warneckea cordiformis, a flowering plant found in Mozambique, has been listed as Critically Endangered due to habitat clearing for subsistence agriculture and cutting for poles. Namacubi forest, the only known location for the species, is at immediate risk of being bisected by a new road for the oil and gas industry, resulting in increased access to and clearance of the forest. Currently there are no conservation actions recorded for this species and it does not occur in any protected areas.

A North American bumblebee species, Bombus fraternus, has entered the IUCN Red List as Endangered. Its range size and abundance in modern records (2002-2012) have declined by 29% and 86%, respectively, relative to historical records (1805-2001). Habitat loss due to the conversion of grasslands to agriculture is likely the major threat to this species. Much of its range overlaps with prime agricultural areas, particularly for corn production. Pesticide exposure in suitable habitat may also be causing declines. Corn seed in North America is now almost ubiquitously treated with neonicotinoids a pesticide group known to negatively impact bees

Carpinus tientaiensis ― Critically Endangered. This species is endemic to China, where it occurs in the Province of Zhejiang. It is rare; only 21 individuals are believed to exist in the wild. Forests in the Zhejiang region are threatened by conversion to bamboo, tea and other commercial plantations. As the population is so small, any loss of habitat will be detrimental to the survival of this species. A small population also makes this species susceptible to stochastic events.

Examples of species that have improved status

The amphibian species Andinobates dorisswansonae is known only from a single forest fragment in the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes. This species was previously listed as Critically Endangered because of habitat loss and degradation caused by cattle grazing, logging and agricultural expansion. The forest fragment where this species occurs is now included in a protected area: the Ranita Dorada Amphibian Reserve, which was established in 2008. This reserve is currently well protected, thereby abating continued habitat loss for this species. There are ongoing restoration efforts underway, along with an environmental education program to generate awareness of the species within the local community. This protection has resulted in the species being down-listed to Vulnerable. It is vital to this species that this reserve continues to be well managed to prevent future habitat loss.

Andinobates tolimensis is another amphibian species that is also known only from the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes. Previously listed as Endangered, this species has now been down-listed to Vulnerable. The threat from habitat loss and degradation caused by agricultural activities in the area are no longer as severe because the species’ entire range is now included within the Ranita Dorada Amphibian Reserve. It is vital to this species that this reserve continues to be well managed to prevent future habitat loss.

About The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(TM)
Throughout 2014 we are celebrating the significant contribution of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species（TM) (or The IUCN Red List) in guiding conservation action and policy decisions over the past 50 years. The IUCN Red list is an invaluable conservation resource, a health check for our planet ― a Barometer of Life.

It is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of plant, animal and fungi species. It is based on an objective system for assessing the risk of extinction of a species should no conservation action be taken.

Species are assigned to one of eight categories of threat based on whether they meet criteria linked to population trend, population size and structure and geographic range. Species listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable are collectively described as ‘threatened’.

The IUCN Red List is not just a register of names and associated threat categories. It is a rich compendium of information on the threats to the species, their ecological requirements, where they live, and information on conservation actions that can be used to reduce or prevent extinctions.

The IUCN Red List is a joint effort between IUCN and its Species Survival Commission, working with its IUCN Red List partners BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Microsoft; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London. www.iucnredlist.org www.facebook.com/iucn.red.list  @iucnredlist

About IUCN
IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges by supporting scientific research; managing field projects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN, international conventions and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice.  The world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, IUCN is a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists and experts in some 160 countries. IUCN’s work is supported by over 1,000 professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. IUCN’s headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, in Switzerland.  www.iucn.org

About the Species Survival Commission
The Species Survival Commission (SSC) is the largest of IUCN’s six volunte