Overfishing of Bluefin tunas is a serious concern for the environment and needs to be addressed by us. Bluefin tuna is enjoyed and is the source of the highest grade sushi and sashimi. The Pacific bluefin tuna population has declined by 96.4% since we began fishing it decades ago. If the Bluefin is allowed to further be decimated, other species will follow over time. A precedent of this type should not be set and needs to be resolved before other issues arise. The United States backed an international effort to have the Atlantic bluefin protected under the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, but the move was blocked by aggressive lobbying by Japan, where a single adult fish, weighing more than 300 pounds and measuring more than six feet long, can be sold for thousands of dollars. We can see how political agendas significantly trump environmental concerns but the end result is we reap what we sow.

The targets I want to connect with are
Samuel D. Rauch III (Acting)
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries @ NOAA Fisheries Leadership
NOAA Fisheries Service
1315 East West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910

The National Marine Fisheries Service protects and preserves the Nation's living marine resources through scientific research, fisheries management, law enforcement, and habitat conservation. His focus is on rebuilding the Nation's fisheries and the jobs and livelihoods that depend on them by promoting management approaches that will achieve both sustainable fisheries and vibrant coastal communities. From January 2004 to June 2006, Mr. Rauch served as the Assistant General Counsel for Fisheries where he supervised a team of attorneys, paralegals, and support staff responsible for providing legal counsel to NOAA Fisheries. Prior to joining NOAA, he served as a trial attorney and the Assistant Section Chief for the Wildlife and Marine Resources Section of the Environment and Natural Resources Division for the United States Department of Justice. I would like to ask how or what options are being made available to protect the Bluefin.

Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund
World Wildlife Fund
1250 24th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037

Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund in the United States. the world’s largest network of international conservation organizations, works across 100 countries and enjoys the support of 5 million members worldwide, 1.2 million of which are in the U.S. Roberts received his MBA from Harvard Business School following a BA from Princeton University, and subsequently held marketing management positions for Procter and Gamble and Gillette. He went on to lead international conservation and science programs for fifteen years at The Nature Conservancy before coming to WWF in 2004. It seems that many conservation efforts are used to protect many surroundings and species. A greater awareness can help spread the word about bluefish tuna being in jeopardy. They have already been working with ICCAT to help stop overfishing so it’s definitely a noble commitment.
Lee Crockett
Director, U.S. Fisheries Campaigns
The Pew Charitable Trusts
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 2800
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7077

Lee helps establish policies to end overfishing and promote ecosystem-based fisheries management in the United States under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA), the federal law that governs ocean fish management. As director, Crockett oversees all of Pew’s U.S. fisheries campaigns. These include efforts in the Northeast, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Caribbean, and the Pacific. Before joining Pew, Crockett was executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, the largest national coalition dedicated exclusively to promoting the sustainable management of ocean fish