Research Document

·      -Population of blue fin tuna in the Atlantic Ocean has declined 70% in the last 30 years.

·      -Fishermen use a technique called long lining, where 60 miles of baited line is laid out. This results in an effective catch of blue fin tuna but also an immense amount of by catch of organisms including sea turtles and sharks.

·      -European and Asian countries have exploited their own tuna populations and have moved onto African waters to find tuna.

·      -Experts say that two thirds of major marine fisheries are currently fully exploited, over exploited or depleted.

·      -Overfishing of one species can completely ruin an entire marine ecosystem.

·      -Fishermen are suffering financial losses because of a smaller catch.

·      -Committees have been formed and legislation has begun to be written and passed but nothing seems to be a permanent solution.

·      -Only major committee focuses only on the Atlantic Ocean and its surrounding seas.

Works cited

ICCAT Introduction. (n.d.). ICCAT. Retrieved April 18, 2012, from http://www.iccat.es/en/introduction.htm

Marine Fisheries & Aquaculture Series: Empty Oceans, Empty Nets – Tuna | PBS. (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved April 18, 2012, from http://www.pbs.org/emptyoceans/eoen/tuna/index.html

Marine Fisheries & Aquaculture Series: Empty Oceans, Empty Nets – Tuna: Case Study | PBS. (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved April 18, 2012, from http://www.pbs.org/emptyoceans/eoen/tuna/casestudy.html

Marine Fisheries & Aquaculture Series: Empty Oceans, Empty Nets – Tuna: Viewpoints | PBS. (n.d.). PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved April 18, 2012, from http://www.pbs.org/emptyoceans/eoen/tuna/viewpoints.html