Does Japan’s affair with tuna mean loving it to extinction?

By MASAMI ITO, staff writer
Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010 Japan is known as the biggest consumer of tuna. Be it raw for sushi or sashimi or fried, broiled or canned, tuna is an important element of the food culture. But concerns are growing because tuna is disappearing, and this is putting Japan in a difficult diplomatic position. Conservationists warn in particular that the bluefin, known as “hon-maguro” or “kuro-maguro,” faces extinction because of overfishing. … In 2008, the nation consumed 411,000 tons, or 24 percent of the world’s total catch, according to data compiled by the Fisheries Agency. Japan also accounted for some 70 to 80 percent of all bluefin tuna traded internationally. Of Japan’s annual consumption, bigeye accounted for the most, at 159,000 tons, followed by 140,000 tons of yellowfin and 58,000 tons of albacore. … According to an estimate by Monaco, which advocates a ban on the international bluefin trade, Atlantic bluefin stocks plunged by about 75 percent from 1957 to 2007. Experts blamed the disappearance on rampant fishing. “Due to the excessive fishing of brood stock, the number of fish that can spawn has plummeted, making it difficult to reproduce resources,” said Aiko Yamauchi, a fisheries official at the World Wide Fund for Nature Japan. “There is a large possibility that in general, Atlantic bluefin tuna may become (impossible to fish).” … There are five Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs). They are tasked with managing fish stocks in the oceans and conserving them. Of the five, the group managing Atlantic bluefin is called the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). But environmentalists say ICCAT is falling far short of proper management of tuna stocks. “While the Atlantic bluefin are placed under the management of an international organization, there was no scientific-based management measures taken. Many fishing boats do not follow the rules, especially the one prohibiting use of (seine nets). It is difficult to grasp the actual situation of bluefin trade,” Yamauchi said. …