Bluefin Tuna

TRUTH: The Bluefin Tuna population has dropped by 96% since we have begun fishing it (PDF Report of assessment on this page). It is now endangered. We need to change our habits and you need to stop eating it.

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna: Facts:

“Type:Fish

Diet:Carnivore

Average life span in the wild:15 years

Size:6.5 ft (2 m)

Weight:550 lbs (250 kg

Protection status:Endangered”

(National Geographic)

“The Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the largest, fastest, and most gorgeously colored of all the world’s fishes. Their torpedo-shaped, streamlined bodies are built for speed and endurance. Their coloring—metallic blue on top and shimmering silver-white on the bottom—helps camouflage them from above and below. And their voracious appetite and varied diet pushes their average size to a whopping 6.5 feet (2 meters) in length and 550 pounds (250 kilograms), although much larger specimens are not uncommon.

Unfortunately for the species however, bluefin meat also happens to be regarded as surpassingly delicious, particularly among sashimi eaters, and overfishing throughout their range has driven their numbers to critically low levels.” (National Geographic)

“Bluefin tuna have been eaten by humans for centuries. However, in the 1970s, demand and prices for large bluefins soared worldwide, particularly in Japan, and commercial fishing operations found new ways to find and catch these sleek giants. As a result, bluefin stocks, especially of large, breeding-age fish, have plummeted, and international conservation efforts have led to curbs on commercial takes. Nevertheless, at least one group says illegal fishing in Europe has pushed the Atlantic bluefin populations there to the brink of extinction.” (National Geographic)

Information from National Geographic‘s website at http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/bluefin-tuna/

What is Currently Remaining of this Species:

Blue Fin Tuna stock assessment report from December 2012: http://isc.ac.affrc.go.jp/pdf/Stock_assessment/Final_Assessment_Summary_PBF.pdf – “Buried deep in the highly technical language of the Pacific Bluefin Tuna Stock Assessment is a number: 0.036. That’s the depletion ratio for one of the computer simulation runs done that tries to model the effect of fishing on the bluefin tuna population. By itself, 0.036 doesn’t seem to mean much—unless you do some more math. In the simulations, the number 1 represents the estimated population of the bluefin tuna before we started fishing. 0.036 is what’s left now. Convert that to a percentage, and you get 96.4%. Which means that by the best guesses of scientists, the Pacific bluefin tuna population has declined by 96.4% since we began fishing it decades ago. 96.4%. No wonder that bluefin sold in Tokyo was so valuable. There may not be many fish left in the sea.” (Time, http://science.time.com/2013/01/11/the-pacific-bluefin-tuna-is-almost-gone/)

Why they matter:

“The Atlantic bluefin is a highly sought-after delicacy for sushi and sashimi in Asia—a single fish has sold for over $1.75 million! Driven by such high prices, fishermen use even more refined techniques to catch tuna. And the fish are disappearing as a result. Although tuna do provide food and livelihoods for people, they are more than just seafood. Tuna are a top predator in the marine food chain, maintaining a balance in the ocean environment.” (WWF, http://worldwildlife.org/species/bluefin-tuna)

Alternative Choices:

Yes, I understand this. I went from eating meat 2 years ago to being a vegetarian and mostly eating vegan meals. But this is only one meat you have to give up. I’m not saying give up fish, give up meat- But I am saying give up 1 specific meat. One. To make this easier, SeaChoices has put out an alternative’s list for you which shows the bad, endangered fish and an alternative to the specific species. Click to see the list here! For Bluefin Tuna, they recommend you instead eat BC Albacore Tuna or US Yellowfin Tuna.

Ways to TAKE ACTION:

ALL CONCERNED INDIVIDUALS:

Stop Eating Tuna! “I ate my last bite of bluefin tuna the other night. It came at SHO Shaun Hergatt, a luxurious restaurant in the Wall Street area known for its eponymous chef’s penchant for using the best ingredients from around the world. The bluefin was no exception. Served on a pristine plate with fennel gelée, young ginger and artisanal soy, this was pure o-toro (bluefin belly), the pinnacle of fishly flesh, a barely dressed bombshell that exploded on my palate with incomparable taste and texture. It was awesome. But I have to stop eating it. And so do you.” Continue Reading on TIME’s Website. Also, really, there are many other options on the sushi menu. I’m a vegetarian and still order sushi, because hey, there are always alternatives.

Take the Pledge! I started a Pledge on causes.org to ask people to stop eating the Bluefin Tuna. If you are willing to, please sign it! The starting goal for pledges is 10,000 people, but I will increase it over time once I make that goal. We need to have a lot of people stop eating the fish to make a serious difference in their lives. Click here to go pledge!

CANADA:

We need to speak out. Email our Prime Minister and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans with your concerns at:

Right Hon. Stephen Harper <pm@pm.gc.ca>
Hon. Keith Ashfield – Minister of Fisheries and Oceans <Min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>

US:

Email President Obama at president@whitehouse.com and explain to him to do more action (enforce laws and consequences for companies overfishing the species) for the Bluefin Tuna and that you oppose cuts to environmental programs.

WWF– Email to President Obama to oppose cuts to environmental programs that work toward saving species. The letter is written for you, you just have to fill in your name. WWF works to tag Bluefin Tuna to prevent overfishing the species.