The Pacific bluefin tuna used to be abundant, but overfishing practices are bringing the species closer to extinction. The tuna has been reduced to 4% of its historic population, and it's currently classified as vulnerable, or one step away from endangered.
Small Japanese fishermen argue that industrial fishing practices of sonar tracking devices and huge purse seine nets in spawning sites have contributed to the decline, but the Japanese government refuses to implement a ban. The government and international community focus on the problem of overfishing of juveniles and protecting nursery grounds.
Minoru Nakamura, a small fisherman and the president of Iki Association to Think About Tuna Resources, explains the flaw in the government's logic of only focusing on the overfishing of juveniles: “If you don’t let them lay eggs, you don’t get the next generation of young fish, so it doesn't make sense to just restrict fishing of juveniles.”
Protecting the vulnerable Pacific bluefin tuna at every stage is just common sense. But the Japanese government's resistance to protect the tuna's spawning sites most likely has to do with protecting corporate interests over Japanese families. When the small fishermen learned the hard way that there isn't an infinite supply of Pacific bluefin tuna, they took action (e.g. forming an organization, not fishing during spawning season). Now it's time for the Japanese government to do the same. Sign and share this petition demanding that the Japanese government protects the tuna's spawning sites by banning the use of sonar tracking devices and huge purse seine nets.
(Photo Credit: Oliver Dodd)
