Environmentalists say they will continue to press for an endangered-species listing for Atlantic bluefin tuna. This, despite the fact an international regulatory body, meeting in Brazil last week, nearly halved the amount of bluefin tuna fishermen can land.
"We have no confidence that they can implement something that would corral and eliminate illegal practices," said Phil Kline, senior oceans campaigner for Greenpeace USA.
Bluefin tuna is highly prized by the Japanese and others for its rich meat that is usually eaten raw as sushi. Hundreds of Cape fishermen, and thousands across New England, catch the big fish from early summer through late fall. At $6 to $10 per pound, sometimes more, bluefin is the most valuable fish in the U.S.
An endangered-species listing under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species comes with a ban on international trade. Since most bluefin, including those caught in New England waters, is exported to Japan, the ban would essentially shut down the fishery.