InsideJapan News Network

Fisherman in Japan have praised a decision not to ban the trade of bluefin tuna, a staple of the country's diet and a popular fish for use in sushi.

A ban on trading bluefin tuna was put forward at the UN Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species which is currently being held in Qatar and is due to run until March 25th. The convention was drawn up to protect endangered species from extinction through trade.

Some environmentalists believe that the trade of bluefin tuna could see the species become almost extinct and claim that over the past three decades, the bluefin tuna population has fallen by 80 per cent.

Following the call for a ban, some fisherman in Japan have pledged to impose limits on the number of bluefin tuna caught. The Japanese fish industry, as well as the country's government, insisted that an overall ban is too drastic.

Fish seller at the Tsukiji fish market, the world's biggest fish market, Kazuhiro Takayama said that many people in Japan depend on the trade of the fish for their livelihood.

Written by Kimberley Homer.