Bluefin tuna are a collection of three highly prized, but highly overfished tuna species, typically served in New York’s most exclusive and expensive restaurants. Bluefin populations have plummeted over the last two decades, however, and at least two of the species, the Atlantic bluefin and Southern bluefin tuna, are on the verge of collapse according the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Greenpeace. Unfortunately, given the United States’ legal framework regarding fisheries, species such the bluefin tuna are treated as a resource and are not subject to endangered species legislation.
Our project’s aim is the assist the New York City Council in enacting a legislative ban on the sale of bluefin tuna in New York City. To achieve our goal, we first sought out members of the New York City Council sympathetic to environmental causes. We were fortunate to come in contact with Council Member Alan Maisel, a seasoned legislator, who had previously spearheaded New York State’s July 2013 ban on the sale of shark fins. In addition, we sought, and graciously received, the assistance of major environmental non-profit organizations, including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council. These organizations’ vast knowledge of political and legal issues and like-minded enthusiasm for our project have been instrumental in our lobbying efforts and were invaluable to the drafting of the bill, which ultimately required a good deal of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.
On September 23, 2014, Council Member Maisel formally introduced the draft bill before the New York City council and our efforts to ban the sale of bluefin tuna were reported in the New York Post and several notable blogs. As we await a crucial public hearing on the bill, we continue to try and rally a broad base of support among non-profit organizations, environmental groups, chefs, restaurateurs, and private citizens. We remain convinced that the people of New York City are behind progressive environmental legislation and we are confident in the bill’s passage