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Japan's young eel catch in 2018-2019 falls to lowest levels on record

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 it remains unclear why Japan is experiencing such historically-low levels

www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-48169783

Goodbye Mother Earth. It was nice to know you.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

The agency said the young eel catch in the 2018-2019 period was "extremely poor." It reached only 13 percent of the largest catch of 27.5 tons in the 2005-2006 period.

This is the eel that is listed as critically endangered and facing extinction. Perhaps this is why the catch is so low. (roll eyes)

They bought eels from Honk Kong knowing full well the eels were of dubious origins and must have been smuggled into Hong Kong. Is this what they teach in Ethics class at high school?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Stop catching them, nature will do the rest. May be your great grand children can eat them again. Otherwise your greed will eat them out of existence.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

you reap what you sow.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The problem with unagi, although delicious, is that eels take 80 years to reach sexual maturity. Japan and other Asian countries harvest young infertile eels and also fertile ones. That’s why eels will become extinct in the next 20 years because these animals take almost a century to produce eggs.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

on this day to honor an age-old belief that the consumption of eel helps the body withstand the summer heat.

I've heard people say it, but I doubt it's "age-old". Eel consumption in Japan today is many times larger than 50 years ago when I was born. This suggests that rather than being traditional and widespread, eel is a luxury food whose consumption vastly expanded as Japan got richer. I doubt historic consumption could be much lower than today, when we also have beef, dairy and many other competitors, if the stated belief was "age-old".

People in Japan love to frame everything that happens in Japan as being traditional, but it is often not the case. One of top three popular sushi now is salmon, but this is the result of campaigns led by one man working for the Norwegian fishing industry not so long ago. Sushi is traditional, but large amounts of Norwegian salmon and Atlantic-caught maguro are not.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Japanese Over fishing. As simple as that.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

It's too late for sustainable management of this resource. An idea yet to reach Japan. More than 10 years ago I was reading stories that said if they don't reduce the catch and manage the environment this species will die out. It's on the set for extinction list and yet still being caught? It's no Suprise at all.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Easy answer: stop overfishing. Nostalgia and crying about how you ate it en masse long ago are not excuses for extinction in the name of entitlement. BAN fishing of said eel now to allow it to repopulate, or else shut the heck up about it. The people crying are the cause.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

 Is this what they teach in Ethics class at high school?

However, the great University of Society also teaches people that when business is hard to come by and you need money, ethics can go to hell.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The problem with unagi, although delicious, is that eels take 80 years to reach sexual maturity. 

I've read that for European eels, it is about 10-15years. I can't find details for Japanese eels. Is 80 years not a rare upper age for only certain species?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Save the eel!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

shinhiyata: "Goodbye Mother Earth. It was nice to know you."

Agreed. There is an age-old proverb, made by native North-Americans: "When the Last Tree Is Cut Down, the Last Fish Eaten, and the Last Stream Poisoned, You Will Realize That You Cannot Eat Money"

We're done. It is far past being too late. I am at this point very happy I don't have children, much as I wanted them in the past. And every day, especially under the American chump-for-president and other major polluters it gets worse, and worse, and worse. We're done. The breaking point was about 10 years ago. I just wish the current batch of politicians were made to survive on a diet oil-only until they died, instead of passing it on to... not their grandchildren, bud, their kids. The next war will be for water, and it will be the last. I give us less than 20 years, even after the war. Hell, I'd be surprised if we last 5.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

 especially under the American chump-for-president and other major polluters

Just too too funny. So now Trump is responsible for polluting the planet?

Are you too scared to name these “other major major polluters”, or are you just naturally afraid of mirrors.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

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