Two thousand years ago, the Roman legions that conquered southern Europe relied heavily upon dried bluefin tuna. Unfortunately, this species of tuna, despite having survived the overwhelming demands of the Roman conquest may have finally met its match in the global appetite for sushi. The bluefin tuna can weigh as much as 1,500 lbs and can live as long as 40 years, making it a popular species choice for this purpose.
If environmentalists and marine scientists are correct in their prediction, the remaining stocks of bluefin tuna in the world, 90 percent of which are located in the Mediterranean could be on the verge of extinction, according to a marine biologist named Alain Fonteneau. Fonteneau is a marine biologist for the government run Institute for Development Research in Montpellier, France. According to Fonteneau, if we do not do anything to save the blue fin tuna now, we will fish the last of them out of the Mediterranean in five years time.
But not everyone seems willing to heed this warning. A week long international meeting to save the species ended in surprising arguments on Monday night, as officials in Europe thwarted a proposal by environmental groups and the United States to impose a partial moratorium on the fishing of blue fin tuna, drastically reducing catch quotas in the process.
Officials from 46 members of the ICCAT (International Consortium for the Conservation of the Atlantic Tunas) spent days behind closed doors in Marrakesh, Morocco, battling over a proposed rescue plan intended for the species. Several smaller ICCAT members like Panama and Guatemala had initially backed a proposal that was supported by environmental groups and the United States to halt all blue fin fishing for nine months out of the year, cracking down hard on anyone who should violate this moratorium. However, European officials eventually persuade them to adopt a reduced quota of 22,000 tons instead, for 2009, and then 19,950 tons in 2011, which will represent a sharp drop from the 61,000 tons last year, and this year's quota of 29,000. Unfortunately, this is still far above the 15,000 tons that marine scientists are advising to be the limit that can be fished without causing the entire species to go extinct.
The meeting has become quite a disaster, according to Sergi Tudela of the World Wildlife Fund, because many of the measures that are being adopted are going to drive the blue fin tuna to complete collapse, but the European officials do not seem to agree, contending that their quota plan was the best possible deal because it won the backing of the Mediterranean Arab countries, perceiving the ICCAT as something controlled by the major fishing powers in the world, including Canada, the United States, Japan and Europe.
Photo Credits: 1
Related Posts -
How to Catch Yellow Fin Tuna If you eat tuna, then chances are you’ve already sampled this delicious variety of the popular fish. While blue fin tuna are also popular, yellow fin tuna are by far the most commonly caught variety and the one that is commonly used in commercial foods. While you may not have...... -
Lake Millerton Lake Millerton is located in: Friant, CA Phone: (209) 822-2332 About the Lake: Lake Millerton is an enormous lake with over 525,000 surface acres and 51 miles of shoreline. It is a favorite among boaters and offers fishers quite a challenge. There is an area where boaters...... -
Captain and Guide Pages Are you a fishing captain or guide? To add or change your page, please send your requested listing along with a digital photo of your choice to kevin at sfboater dot com. In addition to the basic listing, I can drive even more traffic (traffic=customers) to your business, but I need...... -
Fishing Report: June 04, 2010 Lakes/Saltwater Anderson: Look for bass in the one to two pound range in this area. Crappie are found behind the bridge. Berryessa: Fish that stay toward the top of the water are biting. The areas close to the west shore are giving fisherman the best bite, and are doing so...... -
Lucy the Harbor Seal [pic] Lucy the Harbor Seal is a regular at Clipper Yacht Harbor. Captain Perry of Sea Turtle Fishing Charters says, "Lucy is always a hit with the customers." Even though Lucy is wild, she is being hand fed by Joe, a regular customer of Captain Perry. Aspects particular to California The California......
Related Websites -
Rock n' Blues Harmonica: A World of Harp Knowledge, Songs, Stories, Lessons, Riffs, Techniques and Audio Index for a New Generation of Harp Players (Includes ... book and 74 minute stereo CD Jamming Buddy) User Reviews Send this to a friend Manufacturer: Music Sales America Customer Rating: List Price: $24.95 Sale Price: $14.93 Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours Free Shipping Available Buy Now Product Description NOT AN INSTANT HARMONICA BOOK! Jon Gindick's method is one of the most complete harmonica books ever....... - Flu Season is Now Open Approximately 36,000 people in the United States die from influenza every year, and more than more than 200,000 have to be admitted to the hospital because of this disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The flu is no joke! I’ve had it, complete with the coughing......
-
Taiwan Blue Liquid Incense Poppers User Reviews Send this to a friend Taiwan Blue Liquid Incense Poppers Manufacturer: Customer Rating: List Price: Varies based on product options Sale Price: View Sale Price Availibility: View Product Availability Buy Now Product Description Product Details No details are available for this product Video Reviews No video reviews...... -
The World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational Preview The World Golf Championships, known as the WGC, is a lengthy series of high profile golf tournaments using international fields. This championship series is perceived to be one of the most vital tournaments to the sport outside of the Player's Championship and the four Majors. In the run up to...... -
Tiger Shark Ultra-Tac Jumbo Putter Grip, Blue User Reviews Send this to a friend Tiger Shark Ultra-Tac Jumbo Putter Grip, Blue Manufacturer: Customer Rating: List Price: Varies based on product options Sale Price: View Sale Price Availibility: View Product Availability Buy Now Product Description Product Details No details are available for this product Video Reviews No......
- Penny UK (Great Britain) Europe Coins: World Coins & Paper Money
- Sky Blue Shorts Boxing Exercise & Fitness
- Posters, Prints United States Original Period Items WW II (1939-45) Militaria Collectibles
- Farthing UK (Great Britain) Europe Coins: World Coins & Paper Money
- 2 Shillings UK (Great Britain) Europe Coins: World Coins & Paper Money
Are you planning a vacation to California? Looking for a better way to fish the more than 1000 lakes throughout this state? You'll find everything you need to know inside The Complete Guide to California Fishing! Click here to download the 30 page the 100% FREE eBook "Fishing in California."
If you prefer a real book, this book can be bought as a paperback from LuLu.com for $10.93.
Categories:
Boating, News, tuna
Tags:
0 comments ↓
There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.
Leave a Comment