Already down to 2 percent of their historic high, Pacific Bluefin tuna are struggling to rebuild their population as Japanese fishermen reach their annual quota two months early — with no plans to slow down the catch, reports The Guardian.
Japan, which consumes 80 percent of the global bluefin catch, has caused “great frustration” by not adhering to voluntary catch quotas meant to spare the species from extinction, says Amanda Nickson, director of global tuna conservation at Pew Charitable Trusts.
Members of the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, including Japan, agreed in 2015 to curb catches of adolescent bluefin, halving the 2002-2004 haul of fish under 30kg. But not everyone has played by the rules.
“Some fisheries workers have ignored the restrictions, aware that they will not be punished and can fetch premium prices for Pacific bluefin in Japan, where it is regarded as an important part of the country’s culinary heritage,” says The Guardian. A single piece of sashimi taken from the belly of a bluefin can go for thousands of yen in an upscale restaurant in Japan.