Nov 30, 2010 /EIN Presswire/–Fishing nations agreed to a small reduction in quotas for catching the threatened Atlantic bluefin tuna, a species whose numbers have fallen dramatically as fishermen work to meet market demands.
In a meeting in Paris, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas lowered its 2011 tuna quota to 12,900 tons, a drop of 600 from this year.
Atlantic blue fin tuna have become increasing popular because of their frequent use in sushi, and a single blue fin tuna can sell for as much as $100,000 in Japanese markets. This has not bode well for the bluefin tuna, a species that has dropped in number by more than 80 percent since the 1970s.
Environmental groups believe the cut is grossly insufficient for the survival of the species while proponents of the fishing industry feel the cuts are too severe.
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