May 23, 2018 (Japan Times) - The amount of Pacific bluefin tuna stocks rose 10 percent from 2014 to 21,000 tons in 2016, the Fisheries Agency said, citing an estimate by an international organization.
In light of the recovery in stocks, Japan plans to propose an expansion of catch quotas at an international meeting to be held in the city of Fukuoka in September.
The growth in stocks reflected efforts to limit catches, mainly of small bluefin tuna, under way since 2015, a Fisheries Agency official said Monday.
The Pacific bluefin tuna is highly popular in Japan for use in high-grade sushi, but stock depletion is a concern.
In December, the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, an international body that governs tuna fishing, adopted new rules that adjust catch quotas according to the extent of stock recovery.
The commission set a goal to raise the amount of Pacific bluefin tuna stocks to 43,000 tons by 2024. It has vowed to consider expanding catch quotas if the probability of reaching the goal increases to 75 percent or better.
