Tag Archives: Pacific bluefin tuna
Researcher urges caution on rock lobster catch limit increase
Seafood industry players say they will welcome an increase in catch limits for rock lobster and Pacific bluefin tuna if a proposal by the Oceans and Fisheries Minister gets the green light. However, a researcher is warning that increasing catch limits for rock lobsters is too risky. Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has reviewed catch limits for spiny red rock lobster in the Hauraki Gulf, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty region, known as CRA 2, as well as Otago or CRA 7, and for Pacific bluefin tuna in TOR 1 (all of New Zealand). Consultation opened on Friday. The rock lobster fisheries were valuable for the economy and culturally, Jones said. “The fisheries provide jobs, bring significant export income for New Zealand, and are popular with recreational fishers. It’s important that we strike the right balance between getting the most value possible from these fisheries while ensuring their sustainability. This is reflected in the proposals.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:52
Japan fails to win approval to increase tuna catch quotas
Japan failed to win approval at an international fisheries meeting for its proposals to increase overall catch quotas for Pacific bluefin tuna. The proposals were supported by Taiwan and South Korea but opposed by the United States and the Cook Islands. States in opposition said that it’s too early to expand quotas as the numbers of such tuna are still extremely small. They were put forward at the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s Northern Committee, where any proposal requires unanimous approval.>click to read<10:13
A Pacific bluefin tuna snagged in a fish farm pen in Scotland!
Salmon farmers off a Hebridean island have rescued a 300kg (47-stone) Pacific blue fin tuna after it appeared in one of their pens. Marine Harvest staff at Colonsay said they were stunned to see the fish, which is normally associated with the warmer waters of the Pacific. They said they spotted the 3m-long tuna after noticing “a feeding frenzy” near their salmon enclosures. The fish was eventually caught using a net and crane and returned to the sea. Farm manager Ali Geddes said: “We’d noticed a lot of activity around the southern part of the farm – there seemed to be a real feeding frenzy going on with the dolphins and porpoises. click here to read the story 14:54
The Great Pacific Migration of Bluefin Tuna
Shortly after their first birthday, Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) complete an impressive feat. From the spawning grounds in the Sea of Japan where they were born, the young tuna embark on a journey over 5,000 miles (8,000 km) long, across the entire Pacific Ocean to the California coast where they spend several years feeding and growing. Until recently, scientists believed only a small portion of juvenile tuna made the journey, but several new studies show that may not be the case—in some years the majority of tuna aged between one and three participate in the trans-Pacific migration. click here to read the story 14:53
Countries Pledge To Recover Dwindling Pacific Bluefin Tuna Population
In a joint meeting Friday in Busan, South Korea, the two groups that manage Pacific bluefin tuna reached a historic long-term agreement that would put the species on the path to recovery. The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission agreed to take steps to rebuild the population to 20 percent of historic levels by 2034 — a sevenfold increase from current levels. Stocks of Pacific bluefin have fallen to 2.6 percent of their historic size, with countries like Mexico, Japan, Korea and the U.S. exceeding fishing quotas within the last two years. click here to read the story 17:02
Trump Admin Won’t List Non-Endangered Tuna As An Endangered Species
The Trump administration declined a petition to list the Pacific bluefin tuna as “endangered” Tuesday after the Department of Commerce (DOC) found that the fish was not facing any significant threat of extinction. A petition from the Center of Biological Diversity to list the fish under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) triggered the Commerce Department’s review. The review began under former President Barack Obama, and lasted for 12 months before the DOC’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued its findings, according to the notice published in the Federal Register. The Center for Biological Diversity claimed the tuna was at risk of extinction, based on findings by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). click here to read the story 20:01
Pacific bluefin tuna not considered engangered
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries branch has determined that Pacific bluefin tuna are not endangered and do not need protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. The determination was announced Monday by Chris Yates, assistant regional administrator for protected resources, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region, in response to a petition from activists and environmental groups across the nation asking the Trump administration to list Pacific bluefin tuna as endangered.,, A scientific review team found that the population is large enough to avoid the risks associated with a small population, such as a year with low survival, and that Pacific bluefin has recovered from similarly low levels in the past. click here to read the story 09:17
Pew: Pacific Bluefin Tuna Management Proposal Will Not End Overfishing
The Pacific bluefin tuna has been overfished for decades and has seen population declines of 97 percent, but a management proposal to be considered by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) would not improve the status quo and must be rejected by member governments, according to The Pew Charitable Trusts. The WCPFC, which oversees the tuna fisheries of the western Pacific Ocean, meets here Dec. 5-9 to discuss management measures for Pacific bluefin. Management of the stock has long been directed by the Northern Committee, a WCPFC subcommittee; in past years, the committee’s recommendations have been approved by the full Commission with little review or discussion, much to the detriment of Pacific bluefin. (according to the Pew Charitable Trust). Amanda Nickson, who directs Pew’s global tuna conservation campaign, issued the following statement on why the WCPFC should reject its current proposal: Read the rest here 12:03
Pacific Bluefin Tuna Heads Toward Protection
Thirteen conservation groups and a former National Fisheries biologist petitioned for federal protection for Pacific bluefin tuna, and the marine agency agreed listing may be warranted. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announced Tuesday that it will begin a 12-month status review of the iconic fish as the first step in the long process to secure Endangered Species Act protection for the overfished species. The Center for Biological Diversity, a frequent petitioner and litigator on behalf of imperiled species, was joined by Earthjustice, Defenders of Wildlife, WildEarth Guardians, Sierra Club, Turtle Island Restoration Network, the Ocean Foundation, Center for Food Safety, Greenpeace, Mission Blue, Recirculating Farms Coalition, The Safina Center, SandyHook SeaLife Foundation, and Jim Chambers, a retired NMFS biologist, owner of Prime Seafood sustainable seafood restaurant supply company and member of the Seafood Choices Alliance. Read the rest here 08:42
WWF calls for shut down of commercial fishing to save Pacific bluefin tuna
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has called for the suspension of commercial fishing to save Pacific bluefin tuna because of the inaction of responsible agencies in addressing the decrease in stock. WWF Oceans and Seafood group leader Dr Aiko Yamauchi said members of the Northern Committee (NC) of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) have failed to agree to an urgently-needed recovery plan to save Pacific bluefin tuna. WCPFC was established by the Convention for the conservation and management of highly migratory fish stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean “Because of the lack of progress and the repeated inaction of the responsible bodies, the Pacific bluefin stock will continue to teeter on the edge of collapse,” Dr Yamauchi said. “We call for a full suspension of commercial fishing of this species until a Pacific-wide rebuilding and management plan has been agreed. Link 14:35
Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission discusses fishing limit of Pacific bluefin tuna
An international fisheries commission began discussing details of fishing restrictions for bluefin tuna in the northern Pacific at a meeting in southwestern Japan on Monday amid concerns about overfishing. At a subcommittee meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission held through Friday in the city of Fukuoka, participants are discussing the possibility of invoking a catch limit based on Japan’s proposal. The panel is discussing specific control measures with an eye to reaching a formal agreement within this year. Meanwhile, nongovernmental organizations Greenpeace and the Pew Charitable Trusts have issued a statement requesting the WCPFC to immediately implement a 2-year moratorium on all commercial fishing for Pacific bluefin tuna. Read the rest here 15:10
Pew Calls for 2 year moratorium on Commercial Fishing of Pacific Bluefin Tuna
The Pew Charitable Trusts today called for a two-year moratorium on commercial fishing of the highly depleted Pacific bluefin tuna. In this year’s stock assessment, scientists found that the population is at just 2.6 percent of its historic size and that overall fishing mortality remains up to three times higher than is sustainable. Despite that dire state, the two international bodies that manage Pacific bluefin—the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, which met this month in California, and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, which meets in December in Fiji—have failed for several years to agree on a Pacific-wide recovery plan that will end overfishing and return the population to healthy levels. Projections from the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean show that under current conditions, the catch limits now in place have a less than 1 percent chance of successfully rebuilding the population over the next 20 years. Read the rest here 16:27
Pew threatens to get Pacific bluefin tuna banned from international trading
An international body that monitors fisheries in most of the Pacific Ocean ended a meeting in Japan on Thursday without agreement on fresh measures to protect the dwindling bluefin tuna. The lack of a required three-quarters quorum prevented any agreement, since representatives from China, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu and the Philippines did not attend. So any decisions on new long-term measures were pushed back to 2016, the Japanese Fisheries Agency said. Further inaction would likely prompt efforts by conservationists to get Pacific bluefin tuna banned from international trading, said a statement by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Read the rest here 11:27
Why This San Diego Fisherman is Selling Pacific Bluefin Tuna For $2.99 A Pound
“It’s a very difficult task to count animals as elusive as tuna,” says Craig Heberer, NOAA. But commercial fishermen like David Haworth, who brought this pile of small, steely gray bluefin to market, say that assessment doesn’t match up with what they’re seeing in the water: a record-smashing abundance of Pacific bluefin tuna. “Our spotter pilots that have been fishing with us for up to 40 years here say they’re seeing the most bluefin they’ve ever seen in their lifetimes, and our government is not documenting any of it,” says Haworth. Read the rest here
Pacific Bluefin Tuna – why California’s fishermen are impacted
Recent actions and findings by international, federal and state fishery managers will result in reduced commercial and recreational take of Pacific Bluefin tuna. California based purse-seine vessels will see their catch limit reduced by a minimum of 40%. California based recreational anglers will see their daily bag limit reduced from 10-fish to 2-fish. New filet regulations developed with input from enforcement, scientists, and the sportfishing community were recently approved by the California Fish and Game Commission which will impact how you process your fish at sea. Read the rest here 10:25
How the Cold War depleted our oceans and led to Japan’s $37,000 tuna – Really?
Though the price one Tokyo sushi-maker paid for a Pacific bluefin tuna marks a sharp drop from recent peaks, $35,000 isn’t chump change. Given the species’ scarcity, it’s also not surprising. In Nov. 2014, it was re-classified as “vulnerable,” meaning it’s in danger of extinction.This scarcity isn’t just a tuna thing. and illegal fishing mean that stocks in every corner of the sea are disappearing at an unsustainable pace. Though many blame the – hoo boy, Read the rest here 17:52
Feds Reverse Course, Lift Ban on Fishing for Rare Pacific Bluefin Tuna – Center for Biological Diversity Distraught!
“Bluefin tuna have been decimated by overfishing, and the world has called in their Pacific bluefin tuna fleets — but California fishermen continue to catch endangered Pacific bluefin tuna,” said Catherine Kilduff with the Center for Biological Diversity. “The Fisheries Service is supposed to protect fish on the path to extinction, not push them deeper into crisis. Yet that’s exactly what they’ve done.” Shut up Lady! Read the rest here 13:27
Japan plans to propose a 50 percent cut on catches of young bluefin tuna in the Western and Central Pacific
Japan plans to propose a 50 percent cut on catches of young bluefin tuna in the Western and Central Pacific, officials said Tuesday (Aug 26), in a historic shift aimed at safeguarding the at-risk species. Tokyo – the world’s biggest consumer of tuna – has been reluctant to reduce catches, despite mounting scientific evidence that stocks are near collapse. Read more here 11:35
Pacific bluefin tuna deemed in danger – Centre for Biological Diversity
The Centre for Biological Diversity filed a legal petition urging the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA) to prohibit fishing for Pacific bluefin tuna, which is reported to have suffered a 96 per cent decline since large-scale fishing began. Read more here 12:09
Tepco Faces Decision to Dump Fukushima atomic station Radioactive Water in Pacific
Tokyo Electric Power Co. (9501)’s discovery of leaks in water storage pits at the wrecked Fukushima atomic station raises the risk the utility will be forced to dump radioactive water in the Pacific Ocean. Pacific bluefin tuna caught off San Diego in August 2011 was found to contain radioactive cesium 10 times higher than fish seized in previous years, researchers including Daniel Madigan and Nicholas Fisher said last May. The radiation levels, which the group said don’t pose a danger to public health, are expected to decline over time, they said in a study at the time. continued
