Sound the Bluefin Alarm

A great piece about heating up efforts to protect the bluefin tuna by Marc Rumminger recently appeared in Grist. As noted in previous posts, bluefin tuna is on the brink. As Rumminger says, it's time to sound the bluefin alarm.

The would-be protectors, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, seem to be chasing dollars or deaf or ignorant as they recently failed to do anything about it.

Grist notes key ways to do more than simply get mad or sad, which are summed up below. 

Participate in the Center of Biological Diversity's bluefin boycott.  Sign their pledge and Use their toolbox. 

Get the fish listed as endangered. How to do that?

Send a note to Kim at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Ask for endangered status and ask for spawning sanctuaries in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Here's her addresses:

Kimberly Damon-Randall, Endangered Species Coordinator
Office of Protected Resources
NMFS, Northeast Regional Office
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930

Write to members of Congress, especially those from New England and members of the Senate Commerce Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.

Think twice about eating at any Nobu restaurants. Hear why from  Greenpeace.

Ask chefs and others to also boycott bluefin (part of the Center's toolbox). If they ask why say whatever you want of course but saying 'I care about sustainable seafood' is fairly succinct.

Lobby for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to step in and do the right thing. Shame them for failing to do so recently.

Remind people that this apex predator is not safe from extinction. The Japanese consume 80% of the bluefin and they're not stopping. They are the highest bidder for the next fish and the next fish and will surely be bidding for the LAST FISH.

Read the full and comprehensive story here.