A couple days ago my dad’s friend caught a massive bluefin tuna in the underwater canyons 100 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. When he asked if my family wanted a piece of that cherry red flesh, I felt a few butterflies in my stomach. Because of a low stock size I had always tried to avoid bluefin tuna; was this really the time to reconsider?
A worker cuts a bluefin tuna into pieces in order to provide it to New York's top sushi restaurants ... [+]
AFP via Getty ImagesSavvy consumers may be surprised to hear that some agencies looking at the data say that it is in fact time to take a look another look at this fish stock’s red status. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is an intergovernmental organization that manages tuna fisheries. In 2017 the group assessed the stock status of western Atlantic bluefin tuna. The results stated that the stock is no longer experiencing overfishing. In other words, the biomass of fish in the stock in 2017 is above a healthy threshold defined by scientists.
However, the ICCAT standing committee on research and statistics (SCRS) wrote that it “continues to caution that the conclusions from the latest assessment (2017), using data through 2015, do not capture the full degree of uncertainty in the assessments and projections.” Because scientists can’t know the exact number of fish in a stock, there is always some uncertainty in these assessments. Despite this, other players in the sustainable seafood space started following suit.
Back in January, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch quietly changed their sustainability rating for western Atlantic bluefin tuna from Avoid to Good Alternative. Their report states that Atlantic bluefin caught using more sustainable fishing practices (e.g., rod and reel, harpoon, or larger fishing nets called purse seines) are a good alternative to higher risk commercially fished options. The authors note that additional research would need to be done to prove definitively that the Atlantic bluefin is no longer overfished, but the evidence points toward a healthy stock. They cite low bycatch in the handline and harpoon fisheries and “moderately effective” management as reasons for the changing the rating.
Randy Blankinship, chief of NMFS’ Highly Migratory Species Management Division was quoted saying “when seafood consumers purchase Atlantic bluefin tuna caught in the United States, they’re supporting robust environmental standards that bolster both bluefin populations and our economy.” This should be good news, but it’s hardly been news at all.
Jared Auerbach of Red’s Best, a seafood purveyor based in Boston, has seen this first hand. He said he “couldn’t find one piece of good publicity” regarding the news of the Seafood Watch status change. He explained that there is currently very little demand for this once coveted fish. Auerbach said that the industry is self-regulating the western bluefin fishery right now to ensure there is as little waste as possible.
He is having to tell fishermen not to go out fishing because there is no market for their catch. “there is not a lot of demand because fat content is low right now. As the tuna stay in the area and feed, they get fatter. Part of the reason not to harvest now is low demand. And part of the cause of that low demand is the negative perception of the fishery.” People see the entire species as being at risk—all those years of conservation campaigning have drilled the message into consumer’s heads.
For years now, bluefin tuna has been off limits for consumers concerned with sustainability, but is it that simple? Auerbach says that “fishermen see the ocean as being cyclical,” while “regular consumers see it as much more black and white than it really is.” When people are at the grocery store, they want a binary choice – “buy” or “do not buy,” but realistically we need to be somewhere more towards the middle: “buy in moderation when locally available.”
“The local tuna is not experiencing overfishing, is one of the most highly regulated fisheries in the world, and the Western Atlantic stock is considered fully rebuilt.” Said Kate Masury, program director for Eating with the Ecosystem. “That being said, I don't think we should be eating Bluefin year-round or every day. It should be more of a special occasion treat” she added.
Eating with the Ecosystem is a Rhode Island based non-profit advocating for a “place-based approach to sustaining New England’s wild seafood.” Their vision is “a New England seafood system that supports the region’s marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them.” Masury adds, “I think that the Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna can be enjoyed as part of our local seafood diets during these warmer summer months when they are being caught locally.
Sushi chef William Tawng prepares sushi and sashimi from a bluefin tuna at the upscale Japanese ... [+]
AFP via Getty ImagesMy family ended up bringing home that beautiful piece of meat and searing it with sesame seeds after an appetizer of sashimi. It was truly a special treat. When I was eating it, I felt weird at first—those alarm bells going off in my head again, “do not eat!” But bluefin tuna is a part of our ecosystem, and it is only right to support the local fishermen who are following all of the rules and regulations set up to protect that ecosystem. When it comes to bluefin conservation, progress is never linear. We’re a long way from hitting all our targets but we have to be adaptable and accept successes along the way.
“I think that it is important to have local markets for local species. As consumers we should know what species are being landed in our local waters and we should enjoy them. It helps to connect us with the ecosystem that produce them and incentivizes us to take care of them” Masury said. So, if it is available to you locally, try western Atlantic bluefin this summer. Turn off the alarm bells for a moment and support this fishery.
The Link LonkJuly 25, 2020 at 09:17PM
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Is It Time To Start Eating Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna? - Forbes
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