Dive Brief:
- Japan announced that starting in 2015 it plans to bring in 50% of its 2002-2004 averages for juvenile bluefish tuna.
- Such a marked reduction in supply will inevitably lead to higher prices for sushi and sashimi, but maintaining fishing rates of the past is not sustainable. Japan said it hopes other countries will follow its example.
- Scientists who studied the tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean say they fell to record low levels in the summer of 2013.
Dive Insight:
The bluefin tuna population has been drastically reduced as a result of overfishing. The problem is compounded by the fact that juvenile fish not yet matured to the point of reproduction make up over 90% of the bluefin catch. That means that fish taken leave no offspring to take their place. That is a serious problem that calls for serious attention, so Japan is doing the right thing in calling for smaller hauls. A higher price for sushi in the next few years is worth it if it means giving the bluefin tuna the opportunity to grow and multiply.