Pacific bluefin tuna  (Thunnnus orientalis) has been on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch red list for the past 25 years ... but no more. The US-based non-profit aquarium publishes a recommended seafood guide for sustainable options. This month, a new and updated ratings list for October 2024 was released, moving certain Pacific bluefin tuna from red to yellow.

Pacific bluefin tuna caught by fisheries in California and Mexico using FAD-free purse seines, and the US pole-and-line fishery, now fall under the yellow rating by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

"The yellow rating is proof that a collaborative, science-based approach to fisheries management works," said Jennifer Dianto Kemmerly, vice president of global ocean conservation. "After decades of research and work to recover this iconic species, we're encouraged to see Pacific bluefin tuna making a comeback, but they're not out of the woods yet. Consumers can play their part by making informed decisions. That means asking where, and how, your fish was caught and sticking to yellow-rated Pacific bluefin tuna." 

Seafood Watch recommendations are broken down by color, with a green rating signifying the "best choice" because the species is "well-managed and caught or farmed responsibly." A yellow rating is considered a "good alternative" as it poses a "moderate environmental risk," while a red rating is used to classify a species that the Monterey Bay Aquarium believes poses a "high risk to the environment." 

Pacific bluefin tuna had previously received a red rating due to overfishing. In 2017, a major step was taken to recover the population when the northern committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission -- which combined represented the interests of the United States, Canada, China, South Korea and Japan -- agreed to establish a long-term management plan. The plan included a target to rebuild Pacific bluefin tuna stocks to 20% of historic levels by 2034. 

A stock assessment released this past June by the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean revealed that Pacific bluefin tuna stocks exceeded the 20% rebuilding target a decade ahead of schedule.

The justification for giving Pacific bluefin tuna a Seafood Watch yellow rating is that the stock is "no longer considered overfished, but it's uncertain if current fishing levels are sustainable."

According to Seafood Watch, "management is moderately effective overall." While the rebuilding targets have been met, the Aquarium warns that "more precautionary and long-term measures are needed to ensure it's harvested sustainably."

"This upgraded rating of Pacific bluefin tuna is something to be celebrated by seafood lovers, conservationists, and the seafood industry, but there's more work to do," said Josh Madeira, the Aquarium's director of fisheries and aquaculture policy. "Through continued international cooperation, Pacific nations can adopt a comprehensive long-term harvest strategy that ensures this species not only survives but thrives far into the future."

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch's new and updated ratings for October 2024 can be found here.