bluefin fishery |
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Bluefin tuna have been harvested in the Mediterranean Sea since before the time of Aristotle. For many countries the arrival of the bluefin was and still is a cultural event. Thousands of people come together in celebration of the fishes arrival. In the western Atlantic the bluefin was not exploited until the early 1900's.
The oldest method of harvesting bluefin is the tuna trap. Traps are set in strategic areas where bluefin are known to travel. Fish enter the trap (often while pursuing prey) and follow a chute towards a larger "holding area" where they are unable to escape. Although used extensively for years in both the eastern and western Atlantic, very few traps remain in use today in either side of the Atlantic.
More popular and efficient methods of capturing bluefin tuna including purse seine, harpoon and rod and reel/handline have taken the place of the tuna trap. Purse seine vessels capture tuna by encircling schools of fish with a net then "pursing" the bottom of the net to trap the fish inside. Currently, there is a very limited purse seine fishery in the western Atlantic with the vast majority of purse seiners fishing in the Mediterranean. Harpoon boats also target bluefin throughout the Gulf of Maine. Both harpoon and purse seine fishing for bluefin is often referred to as a fair weather fishery because in order to be effective sea conditions must be calm and the fish must be near the surface. "Show days" as fishermen often call them are when fish are visible close to the surface. Quite often bluefin can be observed busting the surface in pursuit of prey or simply sunning themselves in the warmer surface waters.
The rod and reel fishery is by far the largest and most popular in terms of the number of participants. A variety of methods have been used to capture bluefin throughout the years, but trolling and chunking (anchoring and sending either live or cut bait to depth) are the most widely used. In New England waters it is not uncommon to see a hundred or more boats all within eyesight of each other trying to land a giant bluefin.
Combined, all tuna species represent less than 10% of the total annual world-wide catch (metric tons) of marine fish. However, since several species of tuna are considered a delicacy in many countries (driven in large part by the Japanese market) their monetary value is one of the highest. When it comes to individual value not all tuna are created equal. Dealers will grade a tail cut section (see below) from each and every fish before they are shipped to theconsumer. Grades (A,B,C) are assigned to each of the following categories; freshness, meat color, oil/fat content and shape. In order to receive top dollar the fish usually has to get high marks in all of these. Prices for bluefin sold at the dock here in New England have fluctuated tremendously throughout the years from $2.00-$50.00 or more a pound. Current prices for bluefin are on the lower end of this scale. Rod and reel fishermen can expect to typically receive anywhere from $4.00-$15.00 per pound. However, if the quality of the meat is superior and the arrival time of the fish at market is optimal they can fetch a higher price. Many "Boston bluefin" as they are called at the Tsukiji market in Tokyo end up in Japan (see photos below). However, every year more fish are sold on the domestic market here in the U.S. as sushi restaurants become more popular. The most valuable bluefin ever purchased was sold at the start of the New Year in 2001. A 444lb bluefin tuna sold for $173,600, that's $391/lb!
Management of the bluefin fishery in both the western and eastern Atlantic is the responsibility of ICCAT (The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) Established in 1969 ICCAT has developed quotas for the total allowable catch for the northern bluefin tuna fishery. Starting in 1982 ICCAT has managed the bluefin fishery as two separate stocks divided by 45 degrees longitude on the basis that there is limited mixing between the two sides of the Atlantic. Historically, intense fishing has reduced the abundance of the western Atlantic stock and as a result the U.S. and Canadian fisheries have been subject to strict quotas. The total allowable catch for the eastern and western management units is vastly different: approximately 2100 metric tons in the west versus 32,000 metric tons in the eastern Atlantic. Once the quota in that category is captured, the fishery is closed for that particular method. In New England the bluefin tuna is a very important economic resource. In 2002 the bluefin fishery off New England accounted for roughly 88% of the total U.S. tonnage landed commercially in the western Atlantic. These landings were valued at 14.3 million dollars.
Bluefin Tuna Fishery
