Japanese authorities announced this Tuesday, August 18, an agreement to expand Pacific bluefin tuna fishing, one month after accusing Mexico of unilaterally blocking the measure, and said that it has now obtained the approval of the North American country.
“During the meeting, which resumed today, an agreement was reached on a new management plan,” Japanese Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Norikazu Suzuki said at a press conference.
The plan proposes increasing the bluefin tuna fishing quota in the Western and Central Pacific by 25 percent, the region that includes Japan, for 2027 and 2028, according to the minister.
The minister, who one month ago accused Mexico of unilaterally blocking the Japanese proposal through its “dishonest attitude,” said Tuesday that he welcomed the consensus reached thanks to the Latin American country’s approval.
To take effect, the new system must be approved at the annual meeting of the two organizations that manage tuna fishing on both sides of the Pacific.
“Looking ahead, we expect difficult negotiations (…) to reach a consensus among the countries and regions involved on issues such as catch quota allocations. In particular, we expect difficult negotiations with South Korea and Taiwan, with whom we compete,” Suzuki acknowledged.
Under the agreement reached Tuesday, the Pacific bluefin tuna catch quota for large specimens weighing more than 30 kilograms for 2027-2028 will be set at 14,836 tons for the Western and Central Pacific region, which includes Japan, compared with the 11,869 tons currently allowed.
At the same time, the plan proposes reducing the fishing quota for specimens weighing less than 30 kilograms by 6 percent in order to ensure conservation, according to the economic newspaper Nikkei.
Concerns over Pacific bluefin tuna overfishing
For the Eastern Pacific region, where Mexico is located, there will be no distinction between fish weighing more or less than 30 kilograms, and the quota will increase from 7,581 tons to 7,740 tons, according to the publication.
The negotiations come during a period of recovery for Pacific bluefin tuna populations, which declined sharply in previous years due to overfishing. This led authorities to impose catch restrictions to preserve the species.
Bluefin tuna is one of the key ingredients in Japanese cuisine and the main component of many of its dishes, making its conservation essential for the archipelago, which is one of the world’s largest consumers.
Source: elfinanciero
