Traditional Tuna Fishing Mediterranean

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THIS FRAGMENT OF THE DOCUMENTARY “THE COST OF SUSHI – EMPTYING THE SEAS” IS FOR PROMOTION PURPOSES ONLY. WE DO NOT OWN THE MATERIAL EXCLUSIVELY, BUT HAVE A LICENSE CONTRACT FOR INTERNET STREAMING.

Story

As American real-life tv shows about tuna fishers are rising in popularity, the fishing industry in the Mediterranean Sea has been under exposed. Yet, these South European waters are filled with danger for the Atlantic bluefin tuna; overfishing and illegal fishing activities have had serious consequences for the bluefin tuna population. The increasing demand for tuna has led to a worldwide decline of the species and their numbers are still dropping rapidly. This profound documentary reveals an ongoing tug-of-war between local fishermen, environmentalists, fish farmers and scientists. Is there a way to put a halt to overfishing and to rescue the bluefin tuna from extinction?

Ecological Relevance

Since the 1970s the numbers of the Atlantic bluefin tuna have been falling. According to biologists and ecologists, the species is suffering from a historical minimum worldwide. Nontheless, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that Atlantic bluefin tuna currently do not warrant species protection under the Endangered Species Act. This might be a good thing for the fishing industry, but large groups of scientists, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and environmental organizations such as Greenpeace and WWF have expressed their concerns.