Catching Premium Bluefin Tuna in Korean Waters, But Sales Banned... Why Are They Being Released?

Pacific Bluefin Tuna Now More Active Along Korean and Japanese Coasts

Catch Limits Mean Many Are Discarded Even When Caught in Nets

Recently, the catch of premium tuna, specifically Pacific bluefin tuna, has surged along the coasts of Japan and Korea. However, since there are annual catch limits for bluefin tuna, more cases are being reported where the fish are released back into the sea after being caught.

According to the Japanese economic daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) on July 15 (local time), the Japanese government proposed expanding the annual catch quotas for Pacific bluefin tuna and other large fish during the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) regular meeting held in Nagasaki City from July 8 until the previous day. However, a final consensus was not reached.

Japan’s proposal was to increase the catch limit for large fish weighing 30 kg or more by 25% compared to this year for 2027 and onward, while reducing the quota for smaller fish by 6%. The intent was to restrict the catch of juvenile bluefin tuna in order to protect resources, but allow for more mature individuals to be harvested.

Pacific bluefin tuna, a type of tuna, is a premium fish in high demand in Japan because it is widely used in sushi. At the beginning of every year, it is common for bluefin tuna auctions at Japanese fish markets to fetch prices in the hundreds of millions of won. However, the WCPFC strictly enforces annual intergovernmental catch limits to preserve the Pacific bluefin tuna population and prevent reckless overfishing.

Thanks to these catch limits, the population of Pacific bluefin tuna in the Pacific Ocean is said to have recovered over time. The issue is that recently, the number of bluefin tuna being caught along the Japanese coast has skyrocketed. One fisherman told the media, "So many bluefin tuna are being caught in the nets these days that we have to release them back into the sea," adding, "It's a frustrating situation that we cannot keep the fish even if we want to."

A large amount of bigeye tuna caught in a set net in the sea in front of Jumunjin Port, Gangneung City, Gangwon Province. As a premium fish, bigeye tuna has catch limits imposed by each country. Yonhap News Agency

Japan sought to increase catch limits at this year’s meeting, but it is reported that the effort failed to reach an agreement after Mexico opposed it at the last minute. Consensus at WCPFC meetings requires the unanimous approval of all member states.

The bluefin tuna issue has also been raised domestically. On June 18, five dead bluefin tuna were found on a beach in Sokcho, Gangwon Province. The city suspected that the fish had been accidentally caught by fishermen and discarded after catch limits were exceeded. Due to rising sea temperatures and a corresponding increase in prey species, the range of Pacific bluefin tuna appears to be expanding to the coastal areas of Korea’s East Sea as well.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.