Sushi: The Global Catch

In Japan, they are surprised by the worldwide popularity of sushi, and in particular the speed with which this popularity has spread around the world. In coming years, for example, 50 million new Chinese sushi eaters will pick up the trend. But countries such as Russia and Brazil are also growth markets for this Japanese specialty, which was once considered simple street food. The popularity has a price: the Chinese demand alone is now a threat to the bluefin tuna species. In just over 50 years, stocks of this species of tuna have sunk to just 10 percent of what they were. How long will we be able to continue this trend? How successful can aquaculture and "sustainable sushi" be? How can we retain the rapidly disappearing traditional techniques for the processing, cutting and preparing of sushi in Japan? Will there still be work in a few years time for the "tuna doctor," who selects a tuna for purchase at Tokyo's Tsukiji Market every 17 seconds? The consequences of our desire for sushi are made plain with an informative, whirlwind tour of the globe; a camera that is as attracted to sushi as we are shows us exactly what the unintended consequences of our hunger will be. It also leaves us craving even more of the stuff. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)