Overfishing of the western bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico breeding ground resulted in a serious decline in the population. Fishing quotas were established in the Gulf of Mexico to allow the endangered population to recover. Why did this policy fail to achieve the desired result?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The policy failed to achieve the desired result because western and eastern populations of bluefin feed throughout the entire North Atlantic, meaning that the overfishing in the Gulf of Mexico breeding ground was only a small part of the issue. Setting fishing quotas in one specific area did not address the larger problem of overfishing of bluefin tuna populations throughout their entire range.

Overfishing of the Western Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico