LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – Bluefish tuna was at one-time plentiful. Over the past 40 years, however, the world's population of this popular brand has diminished by as much as 80 percent due to over-fishing. Japan is estimated to consume 80 percent of the world's supply, usually serve as sashimi or sushi.
 
"In the last ten years, with the fish on the western side of the Atlantic pretty much demolished, a lot of the focus of the fishing has intensified on the eastern side of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and that population is now falling apart," Carl Safina, president of the conservation group, Blue Ocean Institute told Voice of America.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species or CITES, is expected to recommend a trade ban on bluefin when it meets in Qatar later this month. The Obama administration recently announced support for the measure.

Japan opposes the measure, and could take a reservation or opt out of the treaty in order to continue fishing. However -- since Japan depends largely on tuna imports, officials say the focus will be on ensuring other countries don't opt out as well in order to supply the Japanese market.