Bluefin Update

[thums up]

By CONSTANT BRAND
Associated Press Writer
BRUSSELS (AP) -- Environmentalists on Monday said an
international deal to reduce catches of Atlantic bluefin tuna
didn't go far enough to protect the species from extinction.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic
Tunas decided at a meeting Sunday in Brazil to limit 2010 catch
quotas to 13,500 tons to prevent overfishing of the much
sought-after tuna, the European Union said.
The commission sets annual fishing limits in an effort to save
the fish stock from extinction.
Signatory countries had previously agreed to cut catches from
28,500 tons to 22,000 this year, but scientists and environmental
groups argued a total ban was needed to salvage a viable tuna
stock.
"Only a zero catch limit could have maximized the chances that
Atlantic bluefin tuna could recover to the point where the fishery
could exist in the future," said Susan Lieberman, from the Pew
Environment Group.
Raul Romeva, who sits on the European Parliament's fisheries
committee said European delegates to the Brazil meeting "deserve
to be condemned" for agreeing to continue fishing the sushi
favorite.
The European Union's fisheries commissioner, Joe Borg, said the
cuts would "mark decisive progress in managing and conserving"
the bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.
"Our goal is to ensure the return to a healthy bluefin tuna
stock and a viable and sustainable fishery for our fleet," he said
in a statement.
EU nations have been divided on how to protect dwindling tuna
stocks off their coasts.
Mediterranean members Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Italy, France and
Spain blocked an attempt by the European Commission in September to
impose a temporary ban on catching tuna.
Stocks of the bluefin species have been in steady decline for
years with Japan taking some 80 percent of bluefin exports to
satisfy demands for the finest raw fish ingredient.
The tuna's uncertain status has driven up prices and prompted
fishermen to sidestep stringent quotas to fish illegally for big
profits.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[CB Haws]

Well there you have it 80%. Just ban export to japan.

[freshie]

Originally Posted by CB Haws

Well there you have it 80%. Just ban export to japan.

Do you ever do any research before opening your pie hole?

Japan accounts for a little more than 25% consumption of the world's catch:

http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php...4&subcatid=159

In the United States, we are a huge net importer of Bluefin Tuna. As of 2008, the demand was 3.5 times what US fishermen caught:

http://www.tunalab.unh.edu/NOAA%20Fi...fin%20Tuna.doc

Bottom line is that we consume 3.5 times what we catch in the US.

This is a global problem that needs to be handled globally. As of right now, the US is one of the biggest part of the problem.

Seems kind of hypocritical to target another country for doing the exact same thing we do.

[uncljohn]

Originally Posted by freshie

Do you ever do any research before opening your pie hole?

Japan accounts for a little more than 25% consumption of the world's catch:

http://factsanddetails.com/japan.php...4&subcatid=159

Uh, the AP article specifically says 80% of Atlantic Bluefin catches are sent to Japan. Makes sense to me.

Your article says "Japan consumes 25% of worlds catch of tuna". It does NOT say "25% of the bluefin tuna catch". It is perfectly reasonable to think 80% of bluefins are sent to Japan and a lot less % of yellows, big eyes, black fin are sent, as they are less-desireable to the Japanese.

Do you ever comprehend the research articles you cite before opening your pie hole?

[freshie]

Originally Posted by uncljohn

Uh, the AP article specifically says 80% of Atlantic Bluefin catches are sent to Japan. Makes sense to me.

Your article says "Japan consumes 25% of worlds catch of tuna". It does NOT say "25% of the bluefin tuna catch". It is perfectly reasonable to think 80% of bluefins are sent to Japan and a lot less % of yellows, big eyes, black fin are sent, as they are less-desireable to the Japanese.

Do you ever comprehend the research articles you cite before opening your pie hole?

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/overfishing...luefin-eng.htm

The above link shows the total harvest of bluefin tuna to be more than
92,900 metric tons not accounting for illegal harvest in the Pacific. The Southern Bluefin numbers only include Australia and Japan.

Japan consumed about 18,000 metric tons of bluefin in 2008:

http://www.peopleandplanet.net/doc.php?id=3441

So you're right, I'm wrong because I overestimated. Japan accounted for less than 20% of bluefin consumed worldwide.

Do you know where that BS 80% came from?

It only applies to exported bluefin from only the North Atlantic. It doesn't take into account the total catch and any of the catch from anywhere else in the world. It's funny how they can massage the stats to make you 'necks believe anything they want.

[CindyLou]

I wonder if the stats account for BFT that are shipped to Japan for auction, and then shipped back to high end sushi restaurants in NYC and other US cities?

[CB Haws]

Hey freshie your pie smells of what you eat the most horse apples. You must be a in bed with the commercial pucks that would kill the last breading bluefin to make a dollar. Almost everyone in the world knows the japs suck down bluefin at an alarming rate. Look at the data from the japanese bluefin auctions, smaller and smaller fish every year and the total tonage goes up. The simple math says they are eating more fish. That means less breaders in the biomass. In addition to what the japs report about their catches the world knows they catch many many more bluefins then treaty allows. Seems like most folks know the truth. freshie just how stupid are you?