I love bluefin

Fatty bluefin tuna, the most prized and expensive raw treat so good that dangerous levels of heavy metals don't matter. I have flown this beautifully versatile protein in from around the world and feel privileged to eat and work with it. Such a mighty fish deserves respect, the biggest ever caught weighted nearly 1500 pounds.
The Mediterranean is the bluefin's spawning grounds. In 1990 Purse seiner technology enabled one fishing boat to trap 3000 tuna in one drop of the net, combined with tuna ranching (the business of fattening tuna) to continue the abuse of the EU's fisheries. After years of illegal methods and blatant disregard for quotas the EU's ministers continued to do too little too late. This June the purse seiners (70% of the catch) were banned albeit part way through the season when a reasonable quota had probably already been exceeded. This huge step met serious resistance, understandably as the price of bluefin has tripled with fish being worth as much as $100000 each.
Last year the fishery was also closed early, as more evidence of the lack of sustainability in this fishery emerged, it appeared that quotas had been set 800 tonnes over the replacement capabilities. The EU's fishing capacity is so large that this quota could be reached in just two days of fishing.
So what will happen next season? The demand will stop as people realize that eating this beautiful fish is not worth causing its extinction....no the Japanese demand isn't but maybe outside of the sushi kingdom. Gordon Ramsey has removed bluefin from his menus, it is easily replaced by yellowfin. More likely the fishery will reopen next year, more quotas will be ignored, illegal spotted planes will be used and nothing will be enforced let along held accountable or even face penalties. Even if the EU continues the ban throughout next season to promote recovery, the laws of economics means that other countries will increase supply to serve the continued demand.
No more bluefin for me.
Many fisheries are in danger, hopefully more companies like CleanFish can help show there is a better way to continue to enjoy the delicacies of the sea