Due to opposition from the United States, the Pacific fisheries commission decided Friday to forego an increase in fishing quotas next year for bluefin tuna that had been requested by Japan.
Japan sought a 20 percent expansion of its 4,882-ton large bluefin tuna quota and a 10 percent hike in the small fish quota of 4,007 tons at the four-day meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission's (WCPFC) Northern Committee.
The United States opposed the proposed quota expansion, saying stocks of the species have not recovered enough. The Northern Committee comprises 10 countries and regions including South Korea and Taiwan.