A crucial vote on whether Europe will back a trade ban on the critically-endangered bluefin tuna is expected to be taken on Tuesday.

In advance of the event, the makers of the film The End of the Line, which focuses on the over-fishing of the bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean, have sent an appeal to all 27 European Commissoners asking for them to watch the film and reflect carefully before making their decision.

The letter is followed by a petition from all the celebrities who have supported calls for a trade ban so far. These include Greta Scacchi, Colin Firth, Stephen Fry, Baron Eric de Rothschild and Prince Urbano Barberini. Other names will be added to the petition on this website.

Dear Commissioner

I understand that you are being asked your opinion on a proposed temporary ban on trade in the critically endangered bluefin tuna in an inter-service consultation which ends on Jan 12. Before you make up your mind, I thought you should be aware of the enclosed film, The End of the Line, which is based on my book of the same name and focuses on the over-fishing of the bluefin tuna as the iconic example of the failure of Europe’s fisheries policies.

This film has been an extraordinary success in Britain and was invited to be shown at the Sundance Film Festival in the United States. Commissioner Joe Borg and I debated the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy at its premiere in Brussels. The film is now being rolled out across Europe, both in English and other languages, with a premiere in Madrid for the Spanish version in February likely to be a particularly memorable occasion.

I have found that audiences who see the film - and there will be many more of them over the next few months - are incredulous at Europe’s inability to take scientific advice in managing the bluefin tuna sustainably and angry that this species is being pushed towards extinction by over-fishing. I invite you to see the film and to vote for a temporary listing of the bluefin under Appendix 1 of the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species, the only option which will give this wonderful and delicious species the respite it needs to survive for future generations.

I am compiling a celebrity petition which you can check as it acquires more signatures on our website, endoftheline.com. The names of those who have supported us so far are listed below.

With best wishes for a Happy New Year,

Charles Clover

Greta Scacchi
Stephen Fry
Colin and Livia Firth
Richard E Grant
Sophie Dahl
Emilia Fox
Tom Aikens
Sophie Andrieu
Joanna Lumley
Charles Dance
Fiona Shaw
Elle MacPherson
Zac Goldsmith
Damian Aspinall
Ben Elliot
Ben Goldsmith
Kate Goldsmith
Baron Eric De Rothschild
Laura Bailey
Valeria Golino
Ted Danson
Alan Rickman
Prince Urbano Barberini