Yesterday the international trade group CITES (the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) decided not to offer protection to either the polar bear (hunted in Canada) or to the Bluefin Tuna. The Bluefin is hunted all over the world, but
90% of them are consumed in Japan. Long hunted heavily, recently catches of the prized fish have included smaller fish than ever before, and now one common practice is to harvest juveniles, take them to aquaculture pens, and fatten them up there before they are sold. Harvests are down over the past few decades as shown in the following chart from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN.
These fish are just tremendous, with
adults averaging 6- 8 feet in length and typically weighing well over 700 pounds. And if I may say, these fish are also absolutely delicious.
ICCAT, the regulatory body charged with regulating Atlantic Bluefins
admitted last year that stocks are down over 70%. Nonetheless, they continue to allow a level of harvesting that environmentalists find excessive. I hope that ICCAT shows some responsible behavior and regulates for the long-term health of the species. I hope I'm still able to enjoy tuna decades from now!
