ICCAT Summit to decide tuna quotas

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas has met for a summit in the northeast Brazilian city of Recife.

The commission is discussing how to reel in fishing quotas for the threatened Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Delegates from the group's 48 member countries attended Sunday's meeting. They discussed further cuts to fishing quotas.

Stocks of Atlantic bluefin tuna and other important commercial species including certain sharks, are critically depleted. It may take decades to recover their numbers.

The warm-blooded tuna can weigh more than 100 kilograms and is prized by sushi lovers in Asia. A single fish can fetch up to 100-thousand US dollars in Japan.

Diners' appetite for Atlantic tuna and certain sharks has been a key factor behind the threat. The demand has been increasing each year, but a new push for conservation is underway.

Masanori Miyahara, Head of Japanese Delegation, said, "We have to request discipline in this situation as a market state, because otherwise we can't continue to import. We need sustainability of resources, this is very important."

All 48 member nations of the group must reach an agreement to rebuild the stocks of the scarce species. Opinions on certain protection mechanism differ among fishing nations. The commission's credibility is also on the line if action is not taken after this week's conference.

Matt Rand, Director of Pew Enviroment Group, said, "Sharks and tuna are a common property. It is not a certain company or a certain country that owns them. They really need to manage this resource for the future generations and the current generation. But,unfortunately, declines continue and that's the concern."

The meeting wraps up next Sunday. But whether considerable cuts to bluefin catches can be made remains in doubt.