Business

Study finds fewer tuna caught in ROC waters

• Publication Date：04/07/2010
• Source： United Daily News

The number of fishing fleets catching tuna in ROC waters has decreased significantly over the past two decades due to overfishing, according to a government report released April 6.

The Fishery Agency under the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture said fewer fishing fleets operate in the vicinity of Taiwan, with the number dropping to 26,000 from 36,000 in 1989.

This decrease is directly responsible for falling bluefin tuna catch tallies, the agency said, adding that statistics collated by the Pingtung-based Tungkang Fishermen Association support this finding.

“In 2008, Tunkang reported its members catching only 2,900 tuna. The figure represents an alarming collapse from 11,300 in 1999,” the agency said.

Chen Yu-min, director of the Environment and Animal Society Taiwan, said the Pacific Ocean is the biggest tuna fishing ground in the world and has long suffered from irresponsible harvesting practices.

“The Pacific’s bigeye, bluefin and yellowfin tuna species are in danger of becoming overfished,” he said. “Decreasing bluefin tuna stocks are also being seen in the Atlantic Ocean, with the size of net-caught fish getting smaller.”

“Nearly 80 percent of fish stocks worldwide are overfished,” Chen said. "Coordinated government action must be taken to protect marine resources otherwise the tuna might soon become an endangered species.” (CYH-JSM)