Int’l Conference on Bluefin Tuna Catch Quotas Opens in Nagasaki

Tokyo, July 8 (Jiji Press)–An international conference to discuss the management of Pacific bluefin tuna stocks started in Nagasaki, a city in southwestern Japan, on Wednesday. Japan is seeking a total 25 pct catch quota increase for large tuna weighing 30 kilograms or more for 2027, citing a stock recovery, though it faces challenges from the United States and others focused on resource conservation. The Northern Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission will recommend bluefin tuna catch quotas during the conference, to be held until Tuesday. The committee consists of 10 economies, including Japan, South Korea and the United States. In prior consultations, Japan pushed for a larger quota for both large and smaller tuna but did not reach an agreement with the United States and others. Consequently, it proposed a compromise to reduce the quota for smaller fish by 6 pct while prioritizing an increase for large fish. Bluefin tuna stocks had declined due to overfishing, prompting international catch regulations in 2015. Since then, resources have been recovering, and Japan has focused on limiting fishing and releasing fish to stay within the established limits. On Tuesday, Japanese fisheries minister Norikazu Suzuki said, “We will coordinate opinions with countries concerned to increase catch quotas, especially for large fish, so that quotas are set appropriately in line with the situation on resources.” If Japan’s proposal is accepted, the quota for large fish in the western and central Pacific will rise to 14,836 tons from the current 11,869 tons, while the quota for smaller fish will decrease to 4,823 tons from 5,125 tons. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]