The last bluefin tuna
The story of the bluefin tuna is not a well-know story, but it deserves to get some attention. Therefore, we'll give you a summary.
Some basic tunainformation:
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Atlantic or northern bluefin tuna is found throughout the North Atlantic and its adjacent seas, particularly the Mediterranean, but also in the Gulf of Mexico and Straits of Florida. It can reach a weight of more than 650 kilos.
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France, Italy and Spain account for half of the world's total allowable catch of bluefin tuna. Japan imports some 80 percent of the total catch.
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The tuna currently fetch $200-$300 per kilo, according to a CITES document prepared for the Doha meeting.
Bluefin tuna belongs to the luxury segment of the tuna market, which can be sold for more than $100,000 a fish. It is a major ingredient for Japanese sushi. Since the demand for sushi has risen, demand for bluefin tuna followed this track. Next to this, fishing boats have become larger and more efficient, and are thus able to catch more tuna than before.This combined effect has severe consequences:
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The official quota for 2009 was 19,950 tonnes, set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, but the true annual catch is estimated at around 50,000 tonnes.
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Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks have declined by more than 80 percent since 1970, according to CITES, which estimates current stocks at 3.17 million.
Extinction is thus becoming more and more real, a threat that some countries take seriously. In July, Monaco proposed that bluefin tuna should be listed as an "Appendix 1" endangered species under theConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES). Such a listing would provide the same level of protection accorded pandas and some whales, effectively banning international trade in the The proposal was backed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the European Union and even the United States. However, they faced strong opposition from tuna-loving Japan. In the end, after a vote of the 175 member nations, the ban was rejected with 68 votes against the motion, leaving the bluefin tuna on its own.
The future for the bluefin tuna is not looking bright. Since the fishing rate is too high, the species has no time for recovery, and faces rapid extinction. The breeding of bluefin tuna might release some pressure, but a protection program remains essential. Hopefully, countries such as Japan will realize this before it's too late.
6 Comments
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Pieter
On 9 Aug, 2010
Incredible how shortsighted some people can be. If they love their tuna for dinner, then why do they drive them to extinction?
And by the way, how can a vote be blocked by a minority (68/175)?
Is there any sustainability label for bluefin Tuna (and is it controlled independently and correctly? If not, do you know why?
And finally, remember that 'farmed' fish isn't always sustainable either (if it is at all)!-
Heleen
On 9 Aug, 2010
@Pieter:
- A 2/3 majority was necessary (thus 117/175, which means that they were only 10 votes short)
- I don't know if there is a label specifically for bluefin tuna (only "dolfijnvriendelijk gevangen tonijn", which doesn't say much about the sustainability). The most common general fishery label is "Marine Stewardship Council" or MSC (http://www.visenseizoen.nl/alles-over-vis/vislabels).
- Good point about "farmed" fishes!
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Theo
On 9 Aug, 2010
@Pieter
There are bluefin tuna fishing quotas established for every country.
Australia (20 m population and no real tuna eaters!) has a quota of over 5,000 tonnes, while Japan (100 m population and real tuna eaters) has a quota of just 3,000 tonnes.
The whole quota system is made in such a way so that countries which don't eat tuna but produce meat, get to fish it and sell it to countries which do eat tuna in exchange for them also buying more meat!
So Japan has started playing dirty politics of their own. The usual stuff.
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Yannick Verdyck
On 9 Aug, 2010
Wel de entiteiten die achter die tonijn vissen zijn geen vissers meer, dat zijn grote coöperaties. Er wordt gezegd dat men massaal ingevrozen reserves van blauwvin tonijn is aan het aanleggen in Japan. Het idee is het volgende: eens die blauwvin tonijn is uitgestorven, dan wordt elke ingevroren tonijn plotseling een fortuin waard. Diegenen die dan die tonijn bezitten slaan dan een gigantische slag.
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Theo
On 9 Aug, 2010
The Atlantic and Mediterranean blue fin are seriously threatened, and so the EU, Taiwan and lately Japan have moved to fishing the Southern bluefin tuna.
The UE has invested massively in canning factories in the Indian Ocean.
Locals can't even find fresh fish to eat. The majority of luxury hotels have to buy frozen seafood from Madagascar, which is currently still resisting enormous outside political pressures.
Bluefin tuna fishing is a local sport with annual international competitions being organised.
One can even rent a boat with experienced crew to go fishing for the day. It is very expensive and in recent years you can't even take your catch - you have to leave it with the fishing boat owners who are under contract with the authorities. It goes straight to the canning factories.
It's totally crazy!
Oh and in Japan, it's still the yellowfin tuna which is the most sought after for sushi and sashimi. -
Nick Doms
On 9 Aug, 2010
I wrote two articles about the fishing industry on Prince Edward Island, who is famous for their bluefin tuna.
Their catch does not go to processing plants but is used for frozen export and local consumption in their seafood restaurants.
I mostly buy frozen farmed seafood but have never seen a tuna steak.
Tuna is a naturally migrating fish, so how would one raise them on a farm to support sustainable growth?
I would catch them off the coast of Long island, NY in late fall and NYS does not have a quota because tuna is not a local fish so the catch was mine to have.
