United States will support bluefin tuna trade ban; Japan (unsurprisingly) won't

Japan loves its sushi. No matter how unsustainable, they still want their gourmet items. Sharkfin and bluefin tuna.

Makes me sick.

Fortunately the U.S. will support the CITES ban.

U.S. backs international trade ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna

"In a week and a half [from March 4th], representatives from 175 countries will convene in Doha, Qatar, to determine whether to restrict the trade of bluefin tuna -- valued for its rich, buttery taste -- and an array of other imperiled species under CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora."

"The CITES secretariat has determined a total trade ban on bluefin tuna is warranted, based on current scientific data."

Japan says it won't comply with bluefin tuna ban

"But Japan's taste for bluefin tuna has gone global, ratcheting up prices and demand, while raiding the supply in many of the world's oceans. Many marine scientists say that a complete ban is justified by scientific data.

Monaco proposed the bluefin ban late last year, but the U.S. government did not immediately support it. The European Commission has asked that member governments go along with the ban. So far, France has signaled it would support delayed implementation, while Greece, Spain and Italy -- where fishing interests are powerful -- have opposed it. The ban needs a two-thirds majority to pass."

"In the market, fish wholesalers agreed that global restrictions in the bluefin catch make sense, when they are based on academic data. But they said there is no way Japan can go along with a bluefin ban.

"There is no choice for the Japanese government," said Saito. "We Japanese eat tuna."

The comments on the second Washington Post article are priceless. And generally uniform in the opinion that it's going to be very, very hard to eat tuna WHEN THERE ISN'T ANY LEFT TO EAT.