Aquaculture: Fishing for trouble

Aquaculture: Fishing for trouble

The second article, titled “Aquaculture: Fishing for Trouble” focuses more on the environmental aspect of the over exploitation of Tuna in both the U.S. and Japan. In the U.S. and Mexico, many have created fish farms or pens in the waters near the coast in order to sell them to Japanese fish markets. In 2003, Japan paid Mexican ranchers 50 million U.S. dollars for Tuna cultivated in dozens of fish farms. Not only does this take a toll on the fish but it also affects the ecosystem in the deep waters. Ranchers have been known to shoot sea lions that were trying to take bites out of their tuna. Also, there have been incidents where fish food imported to Australian tuna farms spread a virus that killed the entire population of fish on the southern coast. Fishermen were left with no fish and seabird starved due to the lack of food. Because sushi is such an important part of Japan’s culture and identity they are going to great lengths to make sure that they fish they need is never running out. In the film, Jiro introduces the audience to the three types of tuna and the different flavors they have. Also, the vendors at the Tsukiji market state that they either pick the best fish or they pick no fish at all. Unfortunately, the massive populations of tuna in fish farms and pens is having a negative affect on the ecosystems surrounding the farms and pens and could ultimately lead to Tuna’s extinction or the extinction of another species dependent on tuna.

Rex Dalton

Nature. 9/30/2004 Vol. 431 Issue 7008 p502-504

Nature Publishing Group