Soaring fuel prices have hit the fishing fleets in Japan, China, ROK, Taiwan and other East Asian nations. The tuna fishermen of these nations have decided to suspend their fishing operations for several months. According to the sources tuna-fishing boats operators’ organizations have already suspended their operations due to soaring fuel costs.
High fuel costs have affected the economic conditions so badly that for tuna fishermen it has become difficult to make ends meet. The sources said that the measure is also expected to help declining populations of the fish to recover. It is said that the suspension is expected to result in higher prices for bigeye and yellowfin tuna, which are mainly consumed as raw fish and processed into canned food.
According to Japan media its national tuna and bonito fishermen’s group is in the process of preparing about 20 percent of its more than 2,000 fishing vessels to suspend operations for a couple of months beginning as early as July. The group added that it is requesting other fishermen’s organizations in the country to join in the move. The planned stoppage will mainly affect bigeye and yellowfin tuna as fishing quotas for more expensive tuna, such as bluefin and southern bluefin, already have been reduced under the initiative of international organizations.
The decision to suspend tuna fishing not only reduce Japan’s tuna catch but also cut supply of the fish from China, South Korea and Taiwan, which account for about half the tuna imported by Japan. Therefore, the planned suspension is expected to affect tuna prices in the mid- to long term.
