Skip to content

Green Living

Why you shouldn't eat Bluefin tuna

by Lindsay Mineo 11 Jul 2012
Why you shouldn't eat Bluefin tuna

Bluefin tuna in a tuna trap; Credit: © Shutterstock

Bluefin tuna consumption poses a risk to oceans and people. Despite being an endangered species and the subject of a world-wide agreement to not over-fish, Bluefin tuna is still served at sushi restaurants around the world.

It's beautiful and delicious and sushi eaters are willing to pay a premium for the fatty, meaty fish. The truth is, many people either don't know about the tuna's status or don't believe it's as bad as many scientists are saying, which is that we'll be out of Bluefin tuna as early as this year.

They are that endangered.

Difficulties tracking and managing Bluefin tuna

Besides the species being highly endangered and over fished despite regulations, Bluefin tuna accumulate toxins like mercury in their bodies, which get passed along to happy restaurant goers.

Because the species lives in almost every ocean and migrates to reach an immense number of countries, Pacific Bluefin tuna and Atlantic Bluefin tuna (also classified as northern and southern Bluefin tuna) can be caught and eaten around the world. This also makes them especially hard to monitor: when different nations are competing for one resource in the open ocean where no one has jurisdiction, the international regulations are near impossible to enforce and it becomes a free for all.

Pacific Bluefin Tuna

Pacific Bluefin tuna spawn off of the coast of Japan and travel all the way to California and Mexico, where they're caught (often before they get the chance to return to Japan to reproduce, further depleting their numbers).

Turns out that some of these tuna, which were born last year in the radioactive waters of Japan after the Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown, have carried their radioactivity to the United States.

Though most of the Bluefin tuna caught here are shipped right back to Japan, the fish ends up on more and more American plates every year as the demand for sushi, and this delectable animal, increases. The radioactive chemicals present in the fish do not pose a health risk to people, fortunately, as they're still below the dangerous levels set by the US government.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

The other subspecies, Atlantic Bluefin tuna, spawns in the Gulf of Mexico, another highly damaged part of the ocean, and in the Mediterranean Sea. This Bluefin tuna is easily caught in the clear waters of the Mediterranean because planes can see the schools and catch them before they even get to open waters, and the spawning grounds in the Gulf are so damaged by the BP oil spill two years ago that they aren't reproducing as quickly as normal, with estimates of juveniles down 20%.

That number, combined with the fact that the fish are being hunted far faster and in far greater quantities than they can naturally replenish, the Atlantic Bluefin population is quickly headed for collapse. It will be some time before the Gulf is back to its normal condition and stocks of fish and other species can live and reproduce naturally again, and that isn't going to help the Bluefin.

The bottom line for Bluefin tuna

Demand for the fish certainly isn't going away, making restaurants reluctant to remove the species from their menus or raise prices to curb the demand, which means Bluefin tuna will continue to be over-fished until the population collapses, which is predicted to happen as early as this year.

Once it collapses there will have to be a complete moratorium on Bluefin tuna fishing to allow the population to come back, but even if given the chance it will take decades due to the late sexual maturity of the fish, its particular needs and limited spawning grounds (two thirds of which are heavily damaged). The radioactive and mercury levels present in Bluefin tuna should also be taken into consideration.

Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping