Bluefin tuna to be reduced in the Pacific: reports (AFP) (Yahoo!)

TOKYO (AFP) - fishing nations have agreed to keep their young bluefin tuna catches in the central Pacific and Western in 2011 and 2012, below the annual average for 2002-2004, press reports said Sunday.

The agreement has been concluded for an annual meeting of the West of 25 members and Central Commission fisheries Pacific, which ended in Honolulu, Hawaii on Saturday Japan time, reports said.

This is the first international agreement on reductions in catches of bluefin tuna in the Pacific, which follows moves reduced limits catch in the Atlantic.

The commission, including the China, Samoa, South Korea, Taiwan Japan and United States, determines management resources on fish such as tuna, bonito and swordfish in the central Pacific and West.

The transaction will require the Japan to its annual catches of tuna for three years or less than approximately 26% of the current level of 6 100 tonnes, said the Asahi Shimbun.

Annual catch of young tuna Japan an average of 4,500 tons between 2002 and 2004, said the newspaper.

But an official Japan Tokyo said "not have a large impact on consumption to the Japan" reducing fishing organization that margin reduction is equivalent to approximately one per cent of sashimi of the country, provision of tuna, Jiji Press.

Korea South has resisted the agreement but agreed to "take steps to limit its catches of young tuna", said the Asahi.

Japanese and South Korean vessels caught large quantities of young bluefin tuna in the Pacific with boats fishing net and critical say practice threatens to deplete stock of bluefin tuna in the waters, said Kyodo News Agency.