“Tuna” refers to some 16 different species, including Atlantic bluefin, Pacific bluefin, southern bluefin, bigeye, yellowfin, albacore and skipjack. Photo: UN Environment.
Millions of people rely on the oceans for their livelihoods, so marine resources need to be sustainably managed.
Tuna and tuna-like species are very important economically — to both developed and developing countries — and a significant source of food. They include approximately 40 species occurring in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea. They are remarkable fish. Tuna can jump high out of the water; they travel in huge schools; they are warm-blooded. They have been known to team up with dolphins for protection from sharks.
As a result of the amazing qualities of tuna, the fish are threatened by an overwhelming demand. Two main products drive tuna production; traditional canned tuna and sashimi/sushi. These products demonstrate relevant differences in terms of the species utilized, quality requirements and production systems. In the canned market, light meat species – namely skipjack and yellowfin – are dominant, whereas in the sushi and sashimi market, the fatty tuna of bluefin and other red meat species like bigeye are preferred. Bluefin tuna is the top preference forthe sushi and sashimi market with most of it going to Japan.
We observe World Tuna Day to highlight the importance of sustainably managed fish stocks in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
http://www.un.org/en/events/tunaday/index.shtml
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