Japan Suspends Atlantic Tuna Imports

Japan has suspended the import of about 2,200t of farmed Atlantic bluefin tuna because of flaws in documents relating to the catch, the government said.

The Japanese Fisheries Agency found flaws with dates on the catch documents attached to the export under International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) rules, and notified the EU that it would not permit the import, MDNnews reported.

The action is believed to be the first such step under an international scheme designed to block the illegal catch and trade of the fish.

Japanese officials said Tokyo’s action shows that the International Commission for the ICCAT catch documentation scheme is functioning

Environmental groups see it as an evidence of widespread fishing outside of ICCAT control.

Japan consumes 80% of the world’s yearly catch of the species.

According to an estimate, Japan imported about 16,700t of farmed bluefin tuna from Europe in 2008.