Scientists, conservationists convene in Monterey to save the bluefin tuna.

To get a sense of the demand for bluefin tuna, consider this: In 2012, a 593-pound Pacific bluefin sold at a Tokyo auction for $736,000.

A year later, also at a Tokyo acution, a 489-pound bluefin sold for $1.76 million.

A popular sushi fish prized for their fattiness, bluefin tuna have paid a steep price for their deliciousness: Pacific, Atlantic and southern bluefins have all seen precipitous declines in their populations for the last several decades. A 2013 stock assessment of Pacific bluefin showed the population numbers have declined 96 percent since pre-fished levels. 

From Jan. 18-20, science, policy and conservation leaders will meet at the Monterey Conference Center to discuss what can be done to save the bluefin in a three-day symposium organized by the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford University. 

The conference, called the Bluefin Futures Symposium, will seek to answer the following question: How can we ensure healthy, sustainable bluefin populations in our oceans by 2030?

The symposium will address the many factors impacting bluefins' future, including climate change, technological advances, food security and market forces.