Why The United States Government Might Be Hesitant To Protect The Bluefin Tuna?

U.S. Declines to Protect the Overfished Bluefin Tuna The Obama administration said on Friday that it had declined to grant Endangered Species Act protections to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, whose numbers have declined precipitously because of overfishing on both sides of the ocean.

Why should bluefin tuna be protected?

Why protecting the bluefin tuna is important to the health of humans and the oceans. Predominantly caught by industrial longline fishing, the quest for bluefin tuna also kills thousands of sea turtles, birds and other marine life as accidental bycatch.

What is the biggest threat to bluefin tuna?

Threat The main threats to the Atlantic bluefin tuna are overexploitation of older fish and a high fishing pressure on small fish that is contributing to growth over-fishing and threatening natural recruitment. Bluefin tuna are also taken as by-catch in some long line fisheries.

What is being done to protect bluefin tuna?

New measures, which are partly in response to our Atlantic bluefin tuna catch share program in reducing bycatch, remove one closed area, adjust management measures for two other areas, and change pelagic longline gear requirement in the Gulf of Mexico.

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What are some threats to the bluefin tuna?

The largest threat to Atlantic Bluefin Tuna is considered to be fishing mortality, both targeted and incidental. In Canada, they are harvested commercially from the Scotian Shelf, St. Margaret’s Bay, southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bay of Fundy, and the Grand Banks.

What would happen if tuna went extinct?

Scientists believe that the collapse of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea may lead to a sharp increase in the biomass of bentopelagic cephalopods, such as squid. This would negatively affect the sardine population.

Is bluefin tuna an endangered species?

Even as a food product in Japan, bluefin tuna was unpopular due to the unusually red, smelly, and bloody qualities of the meat, which differed greatly from the mild tasting fish typically consumed by the Japanese at the time, mainly white fish and shellfish (Corson 2008).

Is it illegal to catch bluefin tuna?

Under the international Atlantic Tunas Convention Act, it is illegal to catch Western Atlantic bluefin by methods other than rod and reel, hand-line or harpoon, NOAA says. According to NOAA, Atlantic bluefin tuna need to be carefully managed because they are extremely valuable and thus vulnerable to overfishing.

Is it legal to catch bluefin tuna?

Fish can be caught by rod and reel or by a modified form of greenstick that utilizes rod and reel. Any Atlantic bluefin tuna caught by the Recreational Category above 73 inches in length falls into a special “Trophy” category when being retained by recreational fishermen.

Are tuna protected?

The IUCN lists 63 tuna species, and 15 are decreasing in population. Of these, the Southern bluefin tuna are at most risk and considered critically endangered (CR). However, the Atlantic bluefin tuna are endangered, while the Pacific bluefin tuna are vulnerable.

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How many bluefin tuna are left?

Pacific bluefin tuna In 2017, some 1.6 million bluefin tuna were left in the Pacific. Of these, an estimated 145.000 were reproducing adults.

How do fishermen catch bluefin tuna?

Bluefin tuna are a prized sport fish to many anglers. Use a sturdy rod with a high-quality reel and test line when fishing for a giant bluefin tuna. You can catch bluefin tuna by trolling with rigged natural baits, such as artificial squid, or chunks of prey, like mackerel.

Are tuna endangered or threatened?

Though tuna is very nutritious, it’s also high in mercury compared to most other fish. Therefore, it should be eaten in moderation — not every day. You can eat skipjack and light canned tuna alongside other low-mercury fish a few times each week, but should limit or avoid albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna.

Why are tuna important to the ecosystem?

Why It Matters Tuna are a top predator and food source in the marine food chain and help to maintain a balance in the ocean environment. Ocean predators keep populations of marine life in check to prevent an upset of the ecological balance. This then can lead to a destabilized food web and marine environment.

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