Driven by the fast-growing pursuit of fine-dining globally, Bluefin tuna has been largely fished out of existence to satisfy our taste buds and some are considered “critically endangered” species globally.
Biology of Bluefin Tuna
There are three species of Bluefin tuna, Southern bluefin tuna which is found in the Southern Oceans, Pacific bluefin tuna which is found in the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic bluefin tuna which is found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Bluefin tuna are:
- Ocean giants; they can grow to over 2 metres in length. The Atlantic bluefin tuna can grow to 4 metres; the average adult weights around 250 kg, but the largest recorded fish was a massive 679 kg.
- Fast sprinters; they are built like torpedoes to reduce water resistance as they cruise around the world’s oceans at high speed. The Atlantic bluefin tuna can accelerate faster than a Porsche, reaching speeds of over 70 km/hour.
- Ocean wanderers; Atlantic bluefin tuna travel regularly between both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean for feeding and breeding, with some individuals even making multiple crossings in one year.
- Warm-blooded; fish are mostly cold-blooded, but the Bluefin tuna have a specialized circulation system to reduce heat loss, keeping Bluefin tuna much warmer than the surrounding waters.
