Say goodbye to another great fish

The actions (or, more correctly, lack of action) at the triennial meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora in Qatar has likely sent the magnificent Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) down the path to extinction. A secret ballot allowed for nations to place commercial interests over the long-term preservation of the species.

Thunnus stocks have dropped by 97% over the last 50 years, and a CITES ban on marketing the fish may well have been the last, best chance to save them. You see, the Japanese have quite a taste for bluefin, and a large individual can bring as much as $200,000.

The Atlantic bluefin can live to be 30 years old, although none are allowed to reach that age. The largest on record as 14 feet long and weighed nearly 3/4 of a ton. They are, along with the great marlins, the largest of the marine bony fish. They have a pronounced ability to thermoregulate, one of the few fish that do so. This allows them to feed actively in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, and to cruise a half mile below the surface.

Enjoy your sashimi.