Even though ICCAT sets catch quotas far higher than the recommendations of its own scientific advisory board, poaching and smuggling are still rampant. In 2007, for instance, ICCAT had set the quota for the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean at 29,500 metric tons of bluefin, even though scientists had recommended that ICCAT shut down the Mediterranean fisheries for two months during spawning season and limit total catch to less than 15,000 metric tons. Fishermen caught an estimated 61,000 tons, most of it in the Mediterranean spawning grounds. Says Safina, “It’s an all-out war on the fish at the moment.”
This article was originally published with the title The Deadliest Catch.
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14 Comments
Add CommentDON'T BUY OR EAT THIS!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMichael,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is a good topic although one that seems to make headlines often with little result. The commercial fishing industry cannot regulate itself, it will just fish itself out of business. The main culprit in this giant blue fin story are the fish pens off the African coasts where they basically farm the animals for the Japanese market, these fish however are taken out of the cycle for the reproduction of the species.
I used to fish for these majestic animals off Montauk in the 80s and the stocks of these fish are drastically reduced and in severe trouble. I actually tagged a 40lb blue fin off Montauk that was caught 10 yrs later in NC at 400+lbs.....
Its all about money, just like everything else!
Larry
If we could find a gene in the tuna, to make them poisonous... that would save them & help to restore the ecosystem a bit. Sharks too...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOr a gene to make them less delicious.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat makes CITES think that the Japanese won't just send out "research ships" to study the bluefin tuna, as they do now for whales?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor once, couldn't a story about the imperiled blue fin tuna begin with a realistic perspective on how the market for these fish actually operates? By neglecting to make clear the fact that blue fin tuna does not sell at $175,000 except as a public relations promotion, a form of advertisement, that announces the arrival of the first and therefore presumably most prestigeous specimen. It's as if an article claimed that advertisers pay a million dollar a minute for ads run during football while not noting that its only for the superbowl that those phenomenal prices are paid because the attention of the public is what is being purchased, not the typical rate for advertisers.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf blue fin tuna were actually being sold at those prices, you can rest assured they would not go extinct.
Agent Smith (the Matrix):
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet.
First there were single celled iron eating lifeforms. Then there were complex lifeforms...then there were smarter smaller jawed lifeforms and then there were only ones that could survive in a gamma ray polluted world. When the food ran out the last cockroach died. Between our egregious assault on the planet's other shared organisms, we are committing suicide ourselves by too many offspring, insane and uncontrolled rapacious behaviour and dangers posed by lunatic nations building nukes, we have little chance of slowing the depredation of the environment. To stop the hunting of Bluefin, there must be huge sanctions and trade embargoes on Japan if they do not stop its importation and on the other note, on Iran and North Korea or any other nation building nukes. We either put some muscle in the laws or we face extinction. Nations must learn that there is an overriding law to their selfish wishes...the power of the planet's citizens.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFirst there were single celled iron eating lifeforms. Then there were complex lifeforms...then there were smarter smaller jawed lifeforms and then there were only ones that could survive in a gamma ray polluted world. When the food ran out the last cockroach died. Between our egregious assault on the planet's other shared organisms, we are committing suicide ourselves by too many offspring, insane and uncontrolled rapacious behaviour and dangers posed by lunatic nations building nukes, we have little chance of slowing the depredation of the environment. To stop the hunting of Bluefin, there must be huge sanctions and trade embargoes on Japan if they do not stop its importation and on the other note, on Iran and North Korea or any other nation building nukes. We either put some muscle in the laws or we face extinction. Nations must learn that there is an overriding law to their selfish wishes...the power of the planet's citizens.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Never before has such a commercially important animal been subject to an international trade ban, and proponents have braced for furious opposition."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLike many other environmental issues there are always those who will fight to the bitter end for their "right" to cause as much harm as necessary to satisfy their particular economics. My advice to all those fishermen who need to feed their families - better get into a good trade school now before the bottom falls out on the fishing trade.
I have pinned all my hopes on sciences ability to bring back previously extinct animals someday. I have less than zero faith in our ability for restraint.
I am afraid we don't have to do any such thing as find a gene to make them poisonous. These animals are becoming more and more poisonous already as the amount of pollutants like mercury and PCPs build up in their tissue from man made sources. Ironically, what will probably end up saving large, long lived marine species like the bluefin is that people will stop eating them when they become to toxic to eat.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thislol
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisor a gene that would transpose a human ear on their gills
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have a good laugh when you talk of banning and sanctioning products . I think both mean nearly same. except sanction is rough , commanding harsh usage of English like we say, Put the section on Iran on the goods" And I do not believe that will pass by as many oppose to this. Similarly I reckon the ban is only negotiable. All things under the wold are negotiable if excellent diplomacy is used. There is no fight on China produced toys that my son of 6 played with and swallowed the marble. Who decides to import these toys. USA corporation. Who do you blame China. Is that fair. Dubai as per many papers is listed as the one that drowned the world market. If you have money and you want to invest there , no one will stop you . But when things get rough you scream. Oh Dubai is bad" That is what exactly banning and sectioning is all about. And in all cases USA has failed . No one wants to be let out of trade just because once the mighty USA said.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisUSA is very volatile and EU stands up as good market. Who wants dollars anyway now? I thank you . Firozali A.Mulla