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Tuna, northern bluefin
Thunnus thynnus
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BIOLOGY
Tuna belong to the family Scombridae. They are large, oceanic fish and are seasonally migratory, some making trans-oceanic journeys. Northern bluefin are found in the northern half of the Atlantic ocean, the Mediterranean and the southern Black Sea. Northern bluefin grow slowly but can reach more than 450 cm in length and 680 kg in weight. They have a maximum age of 20 to 30 years, becoming mature at around 4-5 years old. They school by size, sometimes with other tuna species. Spawning occurs in two areas in the Atlantic: the Gulf of Mexico from April to June and in the Mediterranean from June to August. They have a low resilience to fishing.
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ADVICE
Tuna is highly sought after and forms the basis of many fisheries world-wide. World catches have doubled in the last decade. All 7 commercially fished species are under pressure and 4 are listed by IUCN - the World Conservation Union: Bigeye assessed as Vulnerable, with pacific bigeye assessed as endangered; Northern Atlantic Albacore assessed as vulnerable and Southern Atlantic Albacore assessed as critically endangered; Northern bluefin assessed as Endangered in the East Atlantic and Critically Endangered in the East Atlantic. Also listed by OSPAR as a threatened and declining species; and Southern bluefin assessed as Critically Endangered. Avoid eating all bigeye tuna, northern and southern bluefin tuna. Pacific bluefin also has low resilience to fishing and current rates of fishing are considered unsustainable. Avoid eating. Avoid albacore tuna from the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Indian ocean, instead choose troll or pole& line caught Albacore tuna from the South pacific. The American Albacore Fishing Association Pacific (North and South) pole and line, and troll fishery for Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is currently certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as an environmentally responsible fishery. There is increasing concern for the Skipjack and yellowfin from the Pacific and Atlantic and skipjack from the Indian oceans; choose Skipjack from the West pacific ocean and increase the sustainability of the tuna you eat from these areas by choosing line (pole and line or handline) or troll-caught (where available) 'dolphin-friendly' fish. For more information on 'dolphin-friendly or safe' tuna certified by the Earth Island Institute see www.dolphinsafe.com. Tuna farming or ranching of southern and northern bluefin relies on capture of juveniles from the wild. Avoid eating.
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