No more sushi?

The BP Oil Spill…  The oil in the BP (British Petroleum) rigs is currently contaminating the Gulf of Mexico, at a rate of 2.5 million gallons of oil a day (TheDailyGreen - Business Week). That is enough oil to hypothetically fill 102 average sized school gyms from the floor to the ceiling! In addition, it is jeopardizing the lives of many wildlife species. Thanks to BP many species are in great danger. From frogs, alligators, deer and foxes to birds, fish and other sea animals.    

Like many other people, I want to know what I can do to help. A species greatly endangered by the BP spill is the Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. The Gulf of Mexico is where most of the Bluefin tuna go to mate and spawn. The eggs are at their most vulnerable stage and the oil is infecting the tuna eggs, killing most of eggs. The Bluefin tuna has been over-fished, making it a 'Critically Endangered' (CR) animal on the Conservation Status List. That is one step away from being 'Extinct in Wild' (EW) and 'Extinct' (EX). (See chart below)

I love sushi, as many people do. Tuna is one of the more popular fish used in sushi, like my fave...the Tuna Handroll. But lately I've been worried that the tuna I'm eating is Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. I do not want to push this fish to the edge of extinction!!!

I did a little research and found out that maguro, toro, akemi, chutoro and otoro are all names for different parts of the Bluefin Tuna. I had no idea of this! Now looking back at my sushi consumption I realize that I ate quite a lot of bluefin tuna, making this fish closer and closer to complete extinction. Now that I know this I will STOP eating maguro and start eating Salmon Handrolls. Yum.