Bluefin-tuna boycott

Consumers asked to forego endangered fish

The Center for Biological Diversity recently called upon consumers and restaurant owners to boycott Bluefin tuna, after the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna refused to take measures to stop overfishing of the species, according to a CBD press release. Bluefin tuna is a popular item on sushi-restaurant menus, especially in Japan.

Tuna advocates point out that the Bluefin population has declined by nearly 80 percent since they became commercial targets in 1970, and will not survive another two years of overfishing. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists both Atlantic and Southern Bluefin tuna as endangered.

The majestic Bluefin can reach up to 10 feet long, can weigh up to a half-ton and can swim up to 50 miles per hour, allowing them to cross an entire ocean in weeks. Recently, one fish sold for nearly $180,000.