A Tuna Auction & a Shrine

 

                                Kiyoshi Kimura, whose company won the tuna auction

Therefore the land mourns,
    and all who live in it languish;
together with the wild animals
    and the birds of the air,
    even the fish of the sea are perishing.

                              Hosea 4:3 NRSVue

How much is one fish worth? Charlie the Tuna would be shocked to know that one of his species, a blue fin behemoth, was just auctioned for a record $3.2 million US dollars (4.4 million Canadian) at a famous Japanese fish market. 

In recent years tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean have been making a slow recovery after decades of over-fishing. Japanese people love their fish products, including tuna sushi, and the country's fishing fleets have been accused of harvesting in ways that are unsustainable, although that has changed.. Thanks to international regulations and agreements some species are recovering. Still China's fishery accounts for more than 40% of the global industry and its regulations and reporting are murky. 

                                                                         Chinese fishing boats

We know that in Canadian waters the cod fishery was nearly wiped out and what was once am abundant and inexpensive species became costly, although no lowly codfish has every achieved superstar status. We saw a school of tuna while on the water in Newfoundland last year and locals say that they are becoming more common as waters warm, a mixed blessing, I suppose.  

                                                                   Namiyoke Inari Shrine 

At the vast Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo there is a historic Shinto shrine that dates back to the mid-17th century. It's called Namiyoke Inari which means “protection from the waves,” and the fishers who stock the market have traditionally visited to pray for the safety of their boats and crews. 

Perhaps the shrine should also be a place to pray for the fish themselves, that they be treated with respect by our species which is so adept at plunder and struggles to protect and respect.  

 You may be surprised to know that the United Church has a Blessing for the Fisheries in the worship resource called Celebrate God's Presence: 

Blessed are you, O God,

for your Spirit hovered over the primordial deep

and caused oceans, seas, and rivers to be formed.

Blessed are you, O God,          

for you filled the waters with all manner of living things.

Bless our boats, fleet, and vessels this season.

Bless the sea that it might teem with abundant life this year.

Bless all who move upon the face of the waters

and dive into its depths.

May we rejoice in the waters' beauty and power;

may all who go down to the sea in ships

find safety from its perils.

Bless all who wait on shore

and at home until loved ones return.

May Christ who calmed the storm,

and filled the nets of his disciples,

be with us all.  Amen.

Do you have a sudden craving for sushi?