For Immediate Release, July 23, 2014

Contact: Catherine Kilduff, (415) 644-8580, ckilduff@biologicaldiversity.org

Bluefin Tuna Continue at Historic Lows as Feds Weigh Pacific Fishing Ban

Mexico Closes Waters for 2014; International Talks Fail to Reduce Future Catches

SAN FRANCISCO— The National Marine Fisheries Service opened a public process today to determine whether to prohibit fishing for Pacific bluefin tuna, which have suffered a 96 percent decline since large-scale fishing began. The action followed the Center for Biological Diversity’s rulemaking petition sent in April.

The Pacific bluefin population’s historic low triggered a requirement for new regulations to better manage overfishing by April 8, 2014, but regulators thus far have declined to take any steps to help the fish. Today’s request for comments is the federal government’s first step to spur action from the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

“This initiation of this important process provides a glimmer of hope in a sea of bleak news for Pacific bluefin tuna,” said Center Attorney Catherine Kilduff. “Saving Pacific bluefin tuna from the world’s insatiable appetite for sushi requires action at all levels, starting with protection in U.S. waters.”

In today’s notice the Fisheries Service considers adding Pacific bluefin tuna to a list of imperiled species that must be released immediately if caught. That list includes great white sharks and other species vulnerable to steep declines from fishing. U.S. sport-fishery landings now dominate American catches of Pacific bluefin tuna, eclipsing the once-vibrant U.S. commercial fishery.

Last week Mexico prohibited commercial and recreational fishing for bluefin tuna for the remainder of 2014 after countries’ collective catch reached the international 5,000-metric-ton limit for bluefin tuna. Fishing continues in U.S. waters because of exemptions negotiated by the U.S. delegation to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission. This month’s meeting of the commission failed to set future catch limits after the United States, Mexico, Japan, Korea and Chinese-Taipei could not agree on reductions.

“Even when faced with the complete destruction of the fishery, bluefin tuna fishing countries continue to have a Gold Rush mentality,” said Center Attorney Catherine Kilduff. “Extinction looms too large to let U.S. fishery managers off the hook when negotiating behind closed doors. Prohibiting Pacific bluefin tuna catch on the West Coast will galvanize fishermen and conservationists alike to bring bluefin back to healthy levels.”

Most of the bluefin tuna caught along the West Coast are juveniles. Scientists have warned that the remaining population of adult bluefin tuna is nearing the end of its life, and not enough young fish have escaped hooks and nets to replace them. Pacific bluefin tuna spawn in the western Pacific, near Japan, and some migrate to the California current as juveniles to feed on anchovy, herring and red crab. Once in the eastern Pacific Ocean, the bluefin tuna stay for a few years before going back to spawn off Japan.

In 1988 U.S. commercial nets caught an estimated 987 adult bluefin tuna off Southern California, including one that broke California records at more than 1,000 pounds and nearly 9 feet in length. Now 90 percent of the worldwide catch of Pacific bluefin tuna is less than 2 years old and under 3 feet long.

To join the Bluefin Boycott to reduce consumer demand for sushi, please go to www.bluefinboycott.org.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 775,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.


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