Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild

SushiSamba Joins The Bluefin Ban

The conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Qatar ended earlier this week. The conference failed to ban the international trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna,a move that some fear could doom the endangered fish. Luckily many restaurants are taking it on themselves to stop using bluefin tuna without waiting for a ban. The SushiSamba restaurants have become the latest to remove bluefin tuna from all menus. The restaurant group's No Blue campaign supports the growing worldwide movement to protect the Bluefin Tuna. SushiSamba has pledged to work with its purveyors to establish a sustainable seafood program at all of its locations, moving toward eliminating all non-sustainable seafood from its menus. The No Blue campaign ban covers all bluefin tuna including Otoro Tuna and Chu Toro Tuna.

"SushiSamba's Managing Partners and I stand firmly in our decision to remove Bluefin Tuna from our menus nationwide, effective immediately. We are aware of the issues surrounding bluefin fishing methods and support the preservation of endangered species in our world," stated SushiSamba Corporate Chef Michael Cressotti. "I hope that other restaurants will follow in our footsteps to help protect this wonderful species. SushiSamba is currently in the process of working with our fish purveyors to establish a sustainable seafood program at all our locations."

The SushiSamba website (www.sushisamba.com) has a link for customers to sign a petition against harmful fishing practices that kill bluefin tuna. Rampant commercial fishing has reduced the mature Western Atlantic bluefin population by 80 percent since 1970 and the fish could be extinct in as few as ten years.

Tags: bluefin tuna, cites, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild, sushi, sushisamba, tuna