Blame sushi! The 2007 quota of nearly 17,000 tonnes of bluefin tuna has already been exhausted for this year, forcing the European commission to impose a ban on bluefin tuna fishing in Europe, specifically in Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain for the rest of the year. Italy and France closed their own fisheries in July and August.
Experts say that the rising popularity of sushi is to be blamed for the rising demand for bluefin tuna. Unlike most tuna, bluefin grows slowly and matures late, making it vulnerable to intensive trawling. The typical size is 2 m (6.6 ft) at about 500 kg (1,100 lb).
Based on what I saw (or I should say did not see) diving in Crete last week, I seriously doubt there is a single fish of that size in the Mediterranean any more.