Tuna

March 24, 2008
Ellis (The Book of Sharks
) covers everything one could want to know about the “biggest, fastest, warmest-blooded, warmest-bodied fish in the world,” describing the various species of tuna and giving a thorough account of the history of recreational and commercial tuna fishing. The bluefin tuna—on the brink of extinction—receives the most attention, and Ellis contends that the Japanese fondness for tuna sashimi—and Japanese willingness to violate fishing restrictions—is largely to blame. Tuna farms, where bluefin are fattened, were once thought to be the answer, but Ellis argues that they are contributing to the problem as young tuna do not have time to breed and replenish the stock in the ocean; the fish fed to the bluefin are themselves being overfished; and waste from the pens causes pollution. Ellis presents an overload of information—too many facts and figures on weights, measurements and numbers of fish caught and sold—however, his impassioned message comes through clearly: someone must figure out how to breed the bluefin in captivity, because as things stand now, it will not survive in the ocean. Photos not seen by PW
.

Starred review from April 15, 2008
Lamenting that the "most beautiful fish in the world is literally being eaten out of existence," prominent marine writer and artist Ellis ("The Empty Ocean; Encyclopedia of the Sea") eloquently describes the threats to the majestic, fast-swimming, highly coveted bluefin tuna, target of the insatiable sushi market. In contrast to "Tuna: Physiology, Ecology, and Evolution", edited by Barbara A. Block and E. Donald Stevens and written for the scientific community, Ellis is writing for a broad general audience concerned with species conservation. The author's drawings and photographs of the bluefin, yellowfin, albacore, skipjack, and blue-eye tunas enhance his text, which examines tuna physiology, behavior, and migration patterns and traces the history of tuna fishing. Ellis also draws an appalling picture of tuna ranches in the world's oceans, tuna slaughtering methods, disregard for internationally set catch quotas, and the mercury content of the various tuna species, all of which should put a damper on consumption. He interviewed fishers in many ports all over the world and has compiled a 26-page bibliography. This timely, balanced, and passionate work is recommended for all public and academic libraries.Judith B. Barnett, Pell Marine Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Kingston

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