Bluefin Tuna Troubles

The EU rejected a measure this week that would have banned the fishing of bluefin tuna, a popular delicacy on the brink of extinction. The Mediterranean bloc, including France, Spain, and Italy, did not agree with even a temporary ban because of concerns it would harm their fishing industries. However, environmentalists argue that over fishing will eliminate the species altogether if no steps are taken to ensure its survival. The tuna caught in the Mediterranean is mostly exported to Japan, where it is used in sushi. Bluefin tuna generates big profits because it is so rare, and this leads fisherman to fish above and beyond legal quotas.