Bluefin-tuna population in danger of extinction<\/p>\n
SYDNEY, Australia (AP): The population of southern bluefin
\ntuna, prized as sashimi in Japan, is at risk of commercial
\nextinction if fishing continues at the current high level, a
\nconservation group study said yesterday.<\/p>\n
An increasing unregulated catch by Taiwan, Indonesia and South
\nKorea is taking a heavy toll on the tuna population, the report's
\nauthor said.<\/p>\n
The Review of the Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery: Implications
\nfor Ecologically Sustainable Management study found the number of
\nmature southern bluefin tuna was believed to be at the lowest
\nlevel ever recorded.<\/p>\n
Undertaken by Traffic Oceania, the wildlife trade monitoring
\nprogram for non-government conservation group World Wide Fund for
\nNature, the report said the fish population throughout the
\nsouthern oceans had plummeted to well below the biologically safe
\nlevel.<\/p>\n
Traffic Oceania senior research officer Glenn Sant said the
\ncurrent tuna population was now less than 9 percent of that
\nrecorded in 1960.<\/p>\n
"Given the serious implications that a collapse in stock would
\nhave on the species, ecosystem and fishing industry we need to
\nadopt a precautionary (catch) approach," Sant said.<\/p>\n
He said the total annual catch of the fish, now set at 11,750
\nmetric tons, should be reduced by 35 percent to help ensure the
\nnumber of breeding fish return to safe levels by the year 2020.<\/p>\n
The fish are highly migratory and the cooperation of many
\nnations and strong international catch restraints are essential
\nif the fishery is to rebuild to safe and sustainable levels, he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said they were among the most valuable fish of the southern
\nseas, with much of the catch ending up as sashimi.<\/p>\n
Australia, Japan and New Zealand are the three major fishing
\nnations who are convention members.<\/p>\n
The small number of member countries has raised concerns about
\nthe increasing catch by non-member countries.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bluefin-tuna-population-in-danger-of-extinction-1447893297",
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