Hatoyama, fish dealers welcome tuna ban rejection

Such as "There is a problem with overfishing, and ICCAT needs to enforce its catch limits more strictly"?

That's what I have been saying too, even though I don't deal in fish.

Weasel: Gee...who could have foreseen that reaction from fish dealers?

You mean these reactions?

“Rather than ban exports, we should make sure to limit the number caught"

and

“There is a problem with overfishing, and ICCAT needs to enforce its catch limits more strictly,” “The whole world needs to work on this. We need to protect our resources. So I see this as a good result from the meeting.”

Yeah. terrible. How dare they be in favor of proper stock management when their livelihoods are at stake?

It is good though. I would agree that the average J-consumer doesn't think a lot about where there fish is coming from. (I also think that it's unreasonable to expect them to, every time they sit down for a meal.)

But it is good that this has been such a high profile issue, and I think the public will show understanding for any tougher measures the Japanese authorities see fit to adopt in light of it.

Hatoyama's comments show what a moron he his...

Prices go up if tuna become more rare (or if more people are eating them). If Hatoyama wants to stop price rises then he needs to show a shred of leadership in the international community and get fish stocks stabilised for starters and eventually on the recovery path to more productive levels.

Then with more fish prices might actually be able to fall for a change.

Agree with David on this. Rather than focusing on this story from the perspective of Japan getting one-over those countries that supported this ban, I think this whole issue offers Japan a golden opportunity to step up and take a leading role in developing global policies designed to responsibly manage fish resources.

Then again, Japan's history of skulduggery, manipulation of data, over-quota catches, and outright lies tend to make me rather pessimistic. Indeed, this could be the Southern Bluefin scandal all over again.

Absolutely, people shouldn't see this as "Japan winning", more like a "wake up call" for all involved.

The skepticism is healthy. It will keep the Japanese on their toes, but I still worry about the EU nations etc. Do they have the political will there to do what it takes? And the money? Dunno. Hope so, solutions need to be found for any issues they have.

Whats still disappointing to me though is that none of the high profile "environmental" groups like WWF are prepared to stand up and take a practical approach to solving these issues. They focus only on the environment by proposing blanket trade ban, and ignore the reality of the world today where people are part of the environment and need to be considered in the mix.

From what I have read, abiding by these ICCAT set quotas has not worked. This whole ICCAT seems to be a waste of time. What I don't understand though, this is about a species frolicking around in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. It's not about every single blue fin tuna on the planet. Why aren't Japan and newly found friends not staying closer at home, i.e. the Pacific Ocean? It was also funny to see a new program this morning gloating about this "victory" while also questioning how much and where the presumably freshly handed out ODA (=bribes of course) was going to. Really! Well, I know where it's coming from, your tax money, stupid. And what deal did they struck with China? Heard in a back room: "Ah, yes China-sama, you vote for us on this tuna thing and we will vote with you on sharks"?

"Meanwhile, Japanese fish dealers also welcomed the rejection of the proposed trade ban while urging that existing quotas be more strictly enforced to protect the species from overfishing." This is b.s. and/or wishful thinking. You just won't be able to enforce on a worldwide basis . Some countries will cheat, while others will opt out entirely. And once one country sees another cheating or opting out, they will do the same.

I am eating Otoro tonight.

desmosedici,

abiding by these ICCAT set quotas has not worked.

That's the problem. The ICCAT quotas need to be stuck by. That's what it comes down to.

Why aren't Japan and newly found friends not staying closer at home, i.e. the Pacific Ocean?

Well the Club Med countries are catching the fish and selling it to buyers in Japan. The critical thing is that they catch the fish sustainably.

paulinusa,

This is b.s. and/or wishful thinking.

No more than a destructive international trade ban would have been.

You guys have gotta be more positive! Positive thinking! Looking backwards doesn't get anyone anywhere.

Why does the word "world" come up in these quotes from Japanese? They consume 80%. Take the lead and stop blaming/relying on other countries because you have no backbone.

Why does the word "world" come up in these quotes from Japanese? They consume 80%. Take the lead and stop blaming/relying on other countries because you have no backbone.

Indeed, another good comment.

Consider that one tuna can fetch ten's of thousands of dollars. If a fisherman can catch more than his quota and figures he won't get caught, you can guess what he'll do. I live near the Atlantic ocean and see even recreational fishermen exceed limits. And in that case there isn't any money involved.

Never underestimate the power of greed my friends.

paulinusa,

So, measures need to be taken to ensure that those in the fishing industry will be caught and punished, right? This is what regulation and monitoring is all about, and it is the responsibility of governments to take such measures.

even recreational fishermen exceed limits.

Well I guess they aren't the main problem. It's the commercial operators that governments need to really be watching.

Debucho,

I think they talk about the world, because there are numerous nations belonging to ICCAT and catching the fish, and only through mutual cooperation can these issues be addressed properly.

davidatokyo:I guess I have to repeat myself: IN MY OPINION quotas won't work because of the lucrative nature of tuna fishing. If you don't agree, fine, I'm going to bed. 1 a.m.

Paulinusa, you are of course correct. Quotas are widely ignored and poorly enforced by governments whose constituents only care for their own economics benefits. This is the nature of the economically rational human. It is also the cause of the tragedy of the commons which occurs WITHOUT FAIL in areas where commercialised gathering takes place. Some of the posters here are actually aware of this but support the irrational (strict sense) alternatives for PR purposes.

Its OK ,blue fin tuna is not like whale; a female can produce 40 millions eggs ,100 females 4,000 millions eggs and that can turn into 4 billions tuna for you! The world can always have chance to make tuna stock recover if they really want to. And I agree with Australian position, stricter control not total ban bs. Congratulation Japan , but don't forget the problem is still there.

Gee, so if quotas don't work then why are all these countries busy setting quotas all the time!

How stupid the whole world is.

I vote that we put ezekiel25 in charge, instead. Who is with me!?

Better he than the Japanese fishermen and politicians.

The way to go is to have the percentage of catch to be tagged to also replenish future stocks by seeding the area w/more baby tuna fish/eggs. Also, since declining stocks have been confirmed, catch limits be imposed at designated time intervals (example - heavy seeding, limited fishing every five years for a designated optimum time period). Fishing technology is so efficient, the stocking of fish technology should be advanced (Japan would be a prime candidate to research this).

If related industries were required to identify tuna species through DNA barcoding, it would help consumers (and hopefully stocks) by providing:

1) Supplier accountability to consumers and laws. 2) Reliable information for health and eco-minded consumers.

For example, one would be held lawfully responsible for the not uncommon practice of selling escolar tuna (banned in Japan/Italy for public health reasons) as albacore or "white tuna." Additionly, eco-minded consumers could be assured they weren't unknowingly getting a critically endangered or overexploited species from the market or on their plate.

****Suppliers Boost Restaurants’ Eco-accountability http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx?id=4294989309

****ID Bluefin Tuna in Sushi Bars: Researcher http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/11/23/consumer-bluefin-tuna-endangered.html

Raise the price of the tuna by 5000% - curious if they would still pay.

cankaori,

Yeah DNA testing seems like the way to go. The OPRT organization in Japan has been working on this in recent times it seems: http://www.oprt.or.jp/eng/pdf/OPRT20.pdf They note that some tuna actually caught in the Atlantic was described as coming from the Pacific, but the DNA checks are apparently able to detect such tricks.

"There is a problem with overfishing, and ICCAT needs to enforce its catch limits more strictly"

Or.....maybe the marketplace can help regulate itsefl? Perhaps Japan can contribute to this conservation measure by announcing limits to the amount it buys?

Being the main draw for the fish and then blaming everyone else for not regulating their catches is like a fence blaming the Police for not catching enough burglars.

Technology is a big part of this problem. Gone are the days when fishermen relied on weather, sea conditions and gut intuition from years of experience. Switch on the GPS and fish trackers and they can home in very quickly on large and small shoals. The fish just ain't got a chance and get ready for more 'fish wars' as we once again fail to realize that we've overextended with bluefin. Wait? Most tuna ends up as cat-food anyhow. Absurd ...

I'm reminded of an old U.S. auto transmission company's ad... "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later." The implication being that a smaller cost paid now for maintenance can avoid a much larger cost paid later after total failure.

Japan has forgone "paying now" in opposing the ban. They will be "paying a lot more later" after the stocks of bluefin are fished below the point where they could survive even if a ban was successfully imposed later. Japan will switch their target to remaining bluefin species in other waters, almost single-handedly (yes, 80% of the total world's consumption equals "almost single-handedly") reducing stocks in those waters to extinction levels. Then what?

ahh some anti Protectionism sense prevails.

...in the name of conservation... yeah right

I would not be surprised if they come up with findings of high mercury levels in this kind of Tuna.

Perhaps Japan can contribute to this conservation measure by announcing limits to the amount it buys?

The problem is that a lot of the tuna caught are fattened up. So the weight of the catch and the weight of the imports are completely different.

DNA doesn't change when the fish get fattened though.

"bluefin tuna stocks have fallen by 60%"

You'd never know it seeing all the maguro at my local kaiten sushi for 105 yen a plate.

Rejecting the tuna ban is nothing but another sign that the current Japanese government is in a very weak position. As a very good Japanese friend said to me, real Japanese fishermen see the need to conserve and not over fish. The problem and the opposition to any ban are not coming from fishermen but from businessmen who sell fish. They have pressured the gov to take the draconian stand it has taken. In the end these businessmen do not care if the tuna are fished out, they can always move on to other products.