The Fisheries Agency has set area-based ceilings on Japan’s catch of juvenile bluefin tuna to help restore the dwindling adult tuna stock in the Pacific Ocean.
The agency briefed a national meeting of fishermen in Tokyo on the measures Tuesday and obtained their broad consent on the measures, which are the first ceilings of their kind and are designed to halve the yearly catch in 2015, compared to the average catch in the 2002-2004 seasons.
Of the 4,007 metric tons (MT) that will be allowed, 2,000 MT account for purse seine fishing by large and medium fishing boats. The other 2,007 MT will be for coastal fishing mainly by fixed nets.
