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Representatives will determine the future of Atlantic Bluefin tuna trade at an international convention in Doha, Qatar, between March 13 and 25.

The current discussion of a Bluefin tuna trade ban follows decades of increased consumption, especially in the sushi market, where the smooth taste of Bluefin tuna wins over fans while fish populations continue to dwindle. Monaco appealed to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) last year to propose a total ban on the Atlantic Bluefin tuna trade.
CITES was drafted in 1973, and since has acquired 175 countries, or, parties, that are bound to the convention. The convention seeks to save plants and animals that are internationally traded from overexploitation to guarantee their survival. Today the convention imposes regulation on over 30,000 species of plants and animals. For more information on CITES, click here.

As March 25 approaches, many countries are weighing in on the potential listing and subsequent widespread ban. Recently, the Obama administration has spoken out in support of the ban, claiming that regulations in place are not effective, nor sufficient.
However, unsurprisingly, Japan, the world’s largest Bluefin consumer, is opposed to the ban. The fish, highly valued and found on numerous menus in Japan, is so important to the Japanese government that they have openly stated the possibility of lodging a reservation on the ban. This would mean that, even if the ban passed, Japan could trade with any other nation that similarly lodged a reservation. Activists are concerned that this tactic, if adopting by fishing nations, would undermine the effectiveness of the ban.

Though Japan has expressed concern for Bluefin populations, the government supports catch quotas that are reducing year after year. Environmentalists respond by saying that the quotas are too high and often ignored.

Many other fishing nations including Greece, Malta, Spain, and Italy have not yet responded to the proposal and their views will undoubtedly affect the future of the proposal.
Though other tuna species, Pacific Bluefin, Bigeye, and Yellowfin alike, would not be affected, the Atlantic Bluefin clearly affects the lives of countless people. Many are concerned about the livelihoods of those that currently fish for Atlantic Bluefin, especially if the ban is not widely effective.

What are your thoughts on the proposed ban? Are you in favor or against?