Pacific Island Species BIGEYE - obesus

Masa Ushioda - SEAPICS SCHOOL DAYS: Bigeye tuna are sociable fish - swimming in mixed schools with other types of tuna and other fish. Also known as: Aáhi O'opa, Aáhi Bigeye tuna can be as long as 200 are caught much closer to where they Tatumu, Ahi po’onui, Ahi, Albacora- cm and weigh more than100 kilos. are first caught and tagged). ôlho-grande, Asi asi, Atum Patudo, Atún Bigeye tuna in warm waters of de Ojo Grande, Bachi, Darumeji, Drama, 17˚C-22˚C (62.6˚F-71˚F). Bigeye tuna are deep swimmers – Grossaugenthun, Mebachi, Mebuto, sometimes diving down 500 metres Patudo, Thon aux Grands Yeux, Thon School days: Bigeye tuna range in below the surface. To accomplish these obèse, Thon ventru, Toghu, Sangir. waters from 13˚C-29˚C (54.4˚F-84.2˚F). feats, they are more tolerant than skipjack Pacific Island countries hosting bigeye and yellowfin to water with lesser Hatchlings: A bigeye tuna hatchling tuna include all the islands in the concentration but still must come up will feed on plankton and then small tropics (Latitudes of 10˚N to 20˚S). closer to the surface to keep warm when fish, , and . They hunting. Bigeye tuna are sociable fish, are late bloomers reaching sexual Bigeye tuna tagged in locations journey swimming in mixed schools with other maturity at 3 to 4 years old, but live up to 4,000 nautical miles over periods types of tuna and fish. long lives – until 8-14 years. of one to several years, (but most fish PASSPORT BIGEYE TUNA PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES WHERE BIGEYE SCHOOLS ARE:

Masa Ushioda - SEAPICS

OUT OF WATER: A premier sushi fish, bigeye tuna often ends up in Tokyo's fish market Like , smaller bigeye tuna dropping to 71,000 tonnes in 2007. countries combined are estimated to have may be eaten by larger fish whereas the There remains considerable uncertainty exceeded 30,000 tonnes in recent years. main predator for adult bigeye tuna are regarding the accuracy of the purse- and toothed whales. seine catch and reported catches may Out of water: Bigeye tuna’s fatty but firm significantly under-estimate actual catch reddish-pinkish flesh keeps its colour Reel life: Longline vessels from levels. longer than yellowfin tuna which makes both Asia and Pacific Islands fish for adult it popular for high end sashimi. Longline- bigeye tuna which get the highest prices A small purse seine also caught bigeye tuna rarely develop the on sashimi market (apart from bluefin operates in the coastal waters off Japan "burnt" flesh problems often found in tuna which is generally not found in with an annual bigeye tuna catch of yellowfin tuna. Pacific Island waters but in colder waters approximately 1,000 tonnes (plus a similar more north and south). level taken by the coastal Japanese pole- The vast majority of bigeye tuna is sold and-line fishery). fresh and frozen. Bigeye tuna flesh turns From 1980 to 1995, the longline catch of light gray after cooking and this colour bigeye tuna in the Western and Central High catches are also presumed to is less appealing for canning, although Pacific varied between about be taken in the domestic of in Latin America juvenile bigeye tuna are 40,000 and 65,000 tonnes, then reaching Philippines and Indonesia using a variety used for canning. The biggest consumers a peak of 84,000 tonnes in 2004 before of fishing gear. The total catch for both of bigeye tuna are Japan and US.

More Information: Oceanic Fisheries Management Project www.ffa.int/gef. Project queries email: [email protected], Media queries email: [email protected]