If it wasn’t bad enough that Japan said it would refuse to comply with the ban, “forward thinking countries” such as Canada have VOTED AGAINST the ban! What the hell is wrong this planet? Rather than saving an entire species from being fished to extinction we’d rather save a few jobs? I know this is a touchy subject, and many people who visit this blog work in the fishing industry both recreationally and commercially, but clearly you need to have the foresight to realize that if there are no more bluefin tuna left in this world you’re still out of a job. Sure the PEI fishermen talk about conservation, but the bluefin that exist off our coasts are the same bluefin off other countries coasts. I sincerely hope that some kind of resolution is found before it’s too late.
Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea is applauding Thursday’s United Nations wildlife meeting vote rejecting a U.S.-backed proposal to ban bluefin tuna exports.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species made the right decision, said Shea. She added that responsible management practices of Canada’s bluefin fishery helped swing the vote.
Japan and scores of developing nations opposed the ban, which was proposed Feb. 5 by the panel that oversees the convention. It believed the export of Atlantic bluefin tuna — popular in sushi restaurants — has resulted in a drop of more than 80 per cent in stocks since the 19th century.
“We’re very encouraged by the preliminary results because Canada’s position all along has been that that this species should be managed through a regional fish management program, which we have in ICCAT [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas],” said Shea. “The challenge will be to strengthen ICCAT to ensure that conservation measures are adhered to.”
Canada’s management plan is one of the best in the world, said Shea.
If Canada truly has the best management plan in the world, perhaps it’s time we helped other countries achieve the same level of natural resource management, then everyone would win. The following quote really shows that despite this “best in the world” management system we need more education and information on the actual state of these fisheries, not just the “idea” that they will be here forever. Because they won’t be.
“We’re ecstatic here. We never thought there should have been a ban and the way we fish our tuna here and our conservation measures and the way the fishermen themselves look after the stock, there really was no indication that there should be a ban whatsoever,” said Neil LeClair, P.E.I.’s fisheries minister on Thursday.
Looking around my apartment, there are few signs that it’s the home of a fisherman. If you look closely enough you’ll find a few fine fishing inspired details. I can’t think of a better addition to the kitchen of a fisherman then these fish inspired flatware by Yamazaki. Don’t think for a minute that this is a cheap novelty set of cutlery, they come with a $450 price tag for a 60 piece set!
* 5 Piece Placesetting 18/8 stainless steel
* Designed with perfect weight and balance
* Knife blades made with high carbon cutlery steel to maintain finely honed edges.
* Each piece is inspected to insure only the finest product is shipped to our customers.
Our good friend and long-time contributor Adam Guy wrote me to say that he’s recently picked up fly fishing and has been getting his practice in on a locally stocked pond where he can also keep a small portion of his catch to bring home and eat. Of course no post of his would be complete without something to get you salivating..
1. The French dish truites aux amandes; made with just butter, lemon, parsley and almonds, it is simplicity itself.
2. Seared trout fillets with a sauce of Marsala wine, cream and Japanese shimeji mushrooms.
3. Good old fish and chips, made with trout in a beer batter; it tasted better than some sea-fish I have eaten.
Once I have gained a little skill, I fully intend to hit the mountains and coasts of Japan with my fly rod. There is plenty of game here such as several species of native char and trout, a version of the famous taimen, Hucho perryi, called “itoh” in Japanese, and even our very own Asian salmon, the cherry or masu salmon (“sakuramasu”). Of course these creatures would probably not end up on my dinner plate, as perhaps due to my increasing age I feel less inclined to kill and eat my catch, but I will be sure to send you a photographic record of my fishing trips here.
Cheers, Adam
According to a Japanese government official, Japan will not comply with a total ban on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. I can’t say that I’m surprised.
Bluefin tuna is a highly valued fish worth up to $200-$300 per kg but stocks have depleted rapidly. It is particularly sought-after in Japan, where a single fish can fetch as much a $100,000.
“If worse comes to worst, Japan will have no choice but to lodge its reservations,” Senior Vice Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Masahiko Yamada, was quoted as saying by Kyodo news agency.
Some 175 countries are due to vote on 40 proposals at a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Doha, Qatar, on March 13-25. The proposals include whether to list bluefin tuna as endangered.
A two-thirds majority is required for it to be accepted and Japan is expected to fight hard against the ban.
France and Italy have also recently reversed their opposition to a ban. The European Union’s executive said last month that Atlantic bluefin tuna should be protected from being pushed to extinction by Japanese sushi lovers.
Is Japan tired of feeling like it’s being pushed around by other nations? Forced to make decisions about its own waters and culture? Are the waters off the coast of Japan the proving grounds for Japan’s rebellion?
It’s no secret that I love Japan. There is not a single place on this earth that I have fantasized about visiting more than Japan. In fact, I probably think about Japan just as much (if not more) than I think about fishing on a daily basis. Even when I’m sleeping, I dream about Japan. I cannot escape it, and there is only one way for me to deal with this obsession- go there.
But since I cannot go to Japan, I read about her culture, I watch shows about her cities and streams. All the while I’m in complete envy. A great example of this was when I recently watched Satoyama: Japan’s Secret Watergarden. I can’t help but share the awesome wonder of such a place. I found all the videos on youtube, and even created a playlist so you can watch them with ease.
Suddenly I heard the ZIP of the line and I watched as a small Dorado launched into the air. It was a beautiful sight but it didn’t last for long. Again the line went quiet. I started to feel a little sick to my stomach. The long swim and the heat out on the water started to get to me. At this point I’d begun to feel like we weren’t going to catch anything so I went into the cabin to have a short nap in the air conditioning. The gentle rock of the boat almost lulled me to sleep. From inside the cabin I heard that sound. ZIP!! I jumped off the bunk bed and ran outside. I waited for a second before getting my hopes up and then I saw the marlin jump into the air. It was an amazing rush!
