An international conference on Pacific bluefin tuna resource management closed on the 29th and agreed to increase the maximum catch of large tuna in the Midwest, including the waters near Japan, by a flat 15%.
If this agreement is maintained at a meeting in December, the amount of bluefin tuna that Japan can catch will increase significantly.
The conference on bluefin tuna in the Pacific Ocean was held online for three days until the 29th, with participation from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Mexico, and the United States.
In this, it was agreed to raise the upper limit of catch of large bluefin tuna by 15% uniformly in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries.
On the other hand, we have decided to maintain the current upper limit for small size.
At the conference, Japan suggested that the catch limit should be raised by 20%, and the participating countries and regions acknowledged to some extent Japan's claim that stocks are recovering.
From now on, three international conferences will be held in December, and if this agreement is maintained, the upper limit of catch will be officially decided.
In that case, the amount of bluefin tuna that Japan can catch in this area will increase by 732 tons.
Miwako Takase, Deputy Director-General of the Fisheries Agency, said, "We still have to go through the process, and although it is unpredictable, we would like to work to reach a formal agreement."