The stock of large Pacific bluefin tuna, a popular fish for sushi but for which concerns remain over its depletion, has been projected to meet an international recovery target of around 40,000 tons by 2024, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.

The projection was made by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean, which earlier this year assessed the probability of achieving the target as 100 percent, according to the sources.

It could set the stage for quota expansion discussions, proposed by Japan, at an international conference usually held in summer.