Large-scale fishing imperils staple of sushi bars the world over, group says
BANGKOK, Thailand – Environmentalists want tougher restrictions on the industrial-scale fishing of bigeye tuna in the Pacific Ocean after new research showed current measures are failing and will do little to sustain stocks of a fish that is popular in sushi bars the world over. The findings will intensify a debate between the multibillion dollar fishing industry and conservationists over the best ways to protect 23 tuna species, nine of which are threatened with extinction. Bigeye and yellowfin tuna, which can grow to 8 or 9 feet long and weigh more than 450 pounds are not in immediate danger of being wiped out, but have been hit hard by overfishing. The fish are used mostly for steaks, and in the case of bigeye, sushi. The western and central Pacific region accounts for 55 percent of the world’s tuna production with a value of $4 billion to $5 billion. Tuna stocks in the region have fallen since the 1960s, driven down by increasing numbers of industrial fishing fleets. In December, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, which regulates commercial fishing from Indonesia to Hawaii, approved measures supposed to reduce catches of bigeye tuna by 30 percent over three years and limit catches of yellowfin tuna to 2001-2004 levels. … John Hampton, one of the authors of the report, said Thursday the commission’s measures would only limit big eye fishing to recent “fairly high levels.” “It allows stock to fall below accepted levels that (are required for) long-term sustainability,” he said. “That doesn’t mean the stocks will collapse completely and go extinct. But it would be reduced to a level that would result in the stock being much less productive than it could be.” …
Study: Bigeye tuna stocks in Pacific threatened
