IMAGE by Kelly Barnes

Due to overfishing, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists the Southern Bluefin Tuna or Thunnus maccoyii as critically endangered. However, a recent aquaculture breakthrough may help take pressure off wild populations but governments still need to intact smart management and regulatory policies as part of their conservation portfolios.

Tuna belong to a family of very active fish known as Scombridae, which includes other highly marketable species like bonitos, mackerel and wahoo. Scombrids fight hard when hooked or netted. As a result, scombrids have a longer recovery time than other fish. Upon release scombrids can die quickly from shock or fall prey to sharks while recovering. Scombrids especially Bluefin tuna are an important food fish and bluefin tuna are highly prized for sushi and sashimi in Japan. Bluefin tuna recently have been found to contain high concentrations of mercury. However, the white tuna meat commonly sold by the can in grocery stores is safe to eat. Theoretically, farmed bluefin tuna should be safer than wild caught bluefin tuna but mercury has been found in other species of farmed fish.

Clean Seas Tuna Limited has announced that they have artificially bred Southern Bluefin Tuna which are probably the most expensive and sought after animal in the world. Clean Seas Tuna Limited stock climbed after news of the aquaculture milestone was released. The news of an artificial breeding method for this species can be used to take pressure off wild populations. This is a great aquaculture success and can double the worth of the tuna industry. However, only time will reveal what the actual influences of this announcement will be on the conservation of wild bluefin tuna and the market . From the AFP:

The breakthrough would allow the company to effectively double Australia’s 5,200 tonne southern bluefish tuna annual quota within the next five years, it said in a statement to the Australian stock exchange.

“From a global perspective, successfully recreating the natural breeding cycle of one of the world’s premier pelagic fish species is a key step towards ensuring sustainability of this key species at a time when wild stocks are under significant pressure,” the company said.

The fish would not be subject to the strict Australian wild catch quotas and there were no trade barriers for their sale into the major markets of Japan, China, the United States and Europe, said chairman Hagen Stehr.

On the Net: Clean Seas – Port Lincoln, South Australia
On the Net: World-first breakthrough as Clean Seas creates artificial breeding regime for Southern Bluefin Tuna

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