For the first time in the 25-year history of Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, Pacific bluefin tuna was assigned a yellow (good alternative). The designation went to tuna caught by fisheries in California and Mexico using FAD-free purse seines, and the U.S. pole-and-line fishery.
Like all bluefin tuna, these fisheries were previously rated red (avoid) due to overfishing across the Pacific. The assessment did not include an update to Mexico’s ranching operations, which are still rated red.
“The yellow rating is proof that a collaborative, science-based approach to fisheries management works. After decades of research and work to recover this iconic species, we’re encouraged to see Pacific bluefin tuna making a comeback, but they’re not out of the woods yet,” said Jennifer Dianto Kemmerly, Vice President of Global Ocean Conservation. “Consumers can play their part by making informed decisions. That means asking where, and how, your fish was caught and sticking to yellow-rated Pacific bluefin tuna.”
Pacific bluefin tuna is a highly sought after delicacy in restaurants and sushi bars around the globe, but its popularity pushed it to the brink of collapse. Overfishing reduced the total biomass of the Pacific bluefin tuna to 2% of its historical population size.
The Aquarium convened international experts in 2016 to encourage and coordinate efforts to recover the Pacific bluefin tuna population. Later that year, Pacific nations – including representatives from the United States, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, and several Pacific island countries – formed an international joint working group committed to taking the steps necessary to rebuild the population to 20% of historic levels by 2034. The latest population estimate shows Pacific bluefin tuna stocks exceeded the 20% rebuilding target more than a decade ahead of schedule.
“This upgraded rating of Pacific bluefin tuna is something to be celebrated by seafood lovers, conservationists, and the seafood industry, but there’s more work to do,” said the Aquarium’s director of fisheries and aquaculture policy, Josh Madeira, who participated in past negotiations and was recently named a co-chair of the joint working group. “Through continued international cooperation, Pacific nations can adopt a comprehensive long-term harvest strategy that ensures this species not only survives but thrives far into the future.”
The working group is planning to convene in Monterey early next year to begin its next round of negotiations. Those discussions will culminate in July 2025 when the countries come together in Japan to finalize the long-term management plan.
