Animal: Save the Bluefin Tuna
This Christmas, when you are happily enjoying your meals on a romantic candlelit table, do not forget to think about what you are eating, it may just be one of those endangered species. Since the first time I wrote about saving the humpback whales, then the clever sharks, followed by the leatherback turtle, I suppose you know many of the animals on this planets need our attention and need us to learn more about them so that we can appreciate their living. I have always been an environmentalist and I love this planet, and so I hope you do too! This time, I would like you to care for the poor bluefin tuna.
Bluefin Tuna Interesting Facts
- They are listed as "Critically Endangered".[1]
- All tunas are warm-blooded, like human.[3]
- The Pacific bluefin tuna is are some of the biggest and fastest fish in the Pacific Ocean.[3]
- Three species of this oceanic giant: southern bluefin tuna (global Southern Ocean), Pacific bluefin tuna (Indo-Pacific Ocean), northern bluefin tuna (Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea) have been largely fished out to satisfy our insatiable taste buds.[1]
- It takes about 8 to 14 years for northern and southern bluefin tuna to mature and about 3 to 5 years for Pacific tuna[1] , with a maximum lifespan believed to be about 25 years [3].
- Since the 1970s, populations of the northern bluefin tuna have declined by almost 90% while southern bluefin tuna have declined by about 85%.[1]
- There is currently no quota system and no way of controlling Pacific bluefin tuna fishing in international waters. A large number of immature Pacific bluefin tuna juveniles are caught by small, local fisheries in Japan, pushing this population close to the endangered category.[1]
- The northern bluefin breeding population will disappear by 2012 unless the current fishing frenzy stops.[1]
What can you do?
You can come here to pledge to be a "Bluefin Saver" by visiting this website by WWF and choose the restaurant(s) from whose menu you want the bluefin tuna to be removed. I have already done so.
Vocabulary:
insatiable -- adj. (especially of a desire or need) too great to be satisfied
immature -- adj. not yet completely grown
juveniles -- n. young people, hereby refers to fish
fisheries -- n. areas of water where fish are caught so they can be sold
breeding -- vb. [I] (of animals) to have sex and reproduce
frenzy -- adj. uncontrolled and excited behaviour or emotion, which is sometimes violent
pledge -- vb. to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something
Picture resources:
http://www.sea-way.org/blog/Bluefin_Tuna_03.JPG
http://www.wwf.org.hk/images/conservation/seafood/bluefintuna/e-bluefin-ill.jpg
Resources:
