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ÜBER-FISH Among the World’s Most Popular Game Fishes, Tunas Are Also Some of the Most Highly Evolved and Sophisticated of All the Ocean’s Predators BY DOUG OLANDER DANIEL GOEZ DANIEL 74 DECEMBER 2017 SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM 75 The Family Tree minimizes drag with a very low reduce the turbulence in the Tunas are part of the family drag coefficient,” optimizing effi- water ahead of the tail. Scombridae, which also includes cient swimming both at cruise Unlike most fishes with broad, mackerels, large and small. But and burst. While most fishes bend flexible tails that bend to scoop there are tunas, and then there their bodies side to side when water to move a fish forward, are, well, “true tunas.” moving forward, tunas’ bodies tunas derive tremendous That is, two groups don’t bend. They’re essentially thrust with thin, hard, lunate WHILE MOST FISHES BEND ( sometimes known as “tribes”) rigid, solid torpedoes. ( crescent-moon-shaped) tails dominate the tuna clan. One is And these torpedoes are that beat constantly, capable of THEIR BODIES SIDE TO SIDE Thunnini, which is the group perfectly streamlined, their 10 to 12 or more beats per second. considered true tunas, charac- larger fins fitting perfectly into That relentless thrust accounts WHEN MOVING FORWARD, terized by two separate dorsal grooves so no part of these fins for the unstoppable runs that fins and a relatively thick body. a number of highly specialized protrudes above the body surface. tuna make repeatedly when TUNAS’ BODIES DON’T BEND. The 15 species of Thunnini are features facilitate these They lack the convex eyes of hooked. Anyone who has gaffed albacore, bigeye, black skipjack, swimming machines. most fish; rather, a membrane a tuna, large or small, will recog- blackfin, bluefin (three species: Of their fusiform body covering tuna eyes remains flush nize the staccato rat-a-tat-tat its THEY’RE ESSENTIALLY RIGID, Atlantic, Pacific, southern), shape (tapering fore and aft), with their heads, maintaining a tail continues to beat out on deck bullet, frigate, kawakawa, little Sport Fishing Fish Facts expert surface with minimal drag. after its capture, as even then it SOLID TORPEDOES. tunny, longtail, skipjack, slender Ben Diggles says, “Their almost Keels and finlets in front of keeps on “swimming,” because, and yellowfin. perfect hydrodynamic shape (BOTTOM) LANDON COHEN (TOP), STEMPLE JASON the tail provide stability and help (Continued on page 81) The other tribe is Sardini; these tunas — the dogtooth tuna and several species of smaller true bonitos — are somewhat Above: The similarity of more mackerel-like (notably, this small tuna with a more elongated body and a to a model That the ocean’s most advanced row of sharp, conical teeth). airplane is no accident. Both and highly developed swimming bear similarities Swimming Machines in streamlined machines are also among the most Sport fishermen know that when design for they hook a large tuna, they’re in efficient, rapid popular of game fishes with the for a long, drawn-out, relentless forward motion. battle. Nothing characterizes Right: The world’s saltwater angling enthu- king of tunas, tunas more than their powerful, Atlantic bluefin siasts is hardly a coincidence. tireless swimming. In fact, these may range from fish have no choice but to swim “small giants” As anglers, we have tremendous endlessly: As explained more like this one to at least 1,500 respect for the spirited fighting thoroughly below, they’re ram pounds. ventilators, meaning forward qualities of tunas — difficult to motion is required as they move release, should we wish to, because with mouth open to force water past their gills. they truly will fight their hearts Most fishes, such as groupers, snappers and jacks, can remain out when hooked. So what is it motionless and respire by that makes tunas the über-fish of opening and closing their mouths to push water through their gills. our oceans? The more we learn Tunas have lost the ability to do that (even if they could, such about our favorite game fish, small pushes of water wouldn’t the more fascinating they are. offer their large gills the tremen- dous flow they require to supply their systems with oxygen). A suitable motto for tunas, then, is “swim or die.” How tunas have evolved to move efficiently through the water is reflected in their design, both externally and internally. As the illustration (page 81) shows, 76 DECEMBER 2017 SPORTFISHINGMAG.COM 77 The Tuna Tribe A B G H I C D E F J K L (A) ALBACORE or streaked); the yellowfin’s is as live bait for billfish and large three species of bluefin (Atlantic, (along with true bonitos — basically 36 pounds — Washington Canyon, (K) SKIPJACK at times. The fast-growing tuna (Thunnus alalunga) not. Found worldwide, this prized yellowfin. The strong dark-red flesh Pacific and southern) tolerate a smaller versions) belong in a New Jersey, 2006 (Katsuwonus pelamis) can reach 200 pounds in seven game fish is also an important is not appealing to most fishermen. great range of temperatures and different group from bluefin, A fish of many names, little tunny years. Anglers in eastern Pacific IGFA all-tackle record: IGFA all-tackle record: 88 pounds, target for commercial longliners. migrate great distances, across yellowfin and relatives isn’t hard are known as false albacore waters take advantage of the 2 ounces — Canary Islands, 1977 (E) BLUEFIN 45 pounds, 4 ounces — Baja both oceans. Satellite tags have to imagine. Unlike those true off the U.S. Northeast and mid- yellowfin symbiotically feeding (C) BLACKFIN (Thunnus thynnus) California, Mexico, 1996 Easily identified, having by far revealed transatlantic crossings in tunas, dogtooth are longer, leaner Atlantic states, where they’re a with dolphin (porpoise). From (Thunnus atlanticus) With distinct horizontal stripes the longest pectoral fins of any IGFA all-tackle record: 1,496 pounds less than 60 days. Decades ago, and maybe even meaner. Per its very popular game fish among years spent as an observer for limited to its lower half (and no tuna, albacore are also noted for IGFA all-tackle record: — Nova Scotia, Canada, 1979 giants made a reliable migration name, check out its dentures, light-tackle and fly anglers. In the Inter-American Tropical the lightest, whitest flesh among stripes dorsally), the skipjack 49 pounds, 6 ounces — The king of tunas, giant bluefin each May off Bimini and down the most impressive of any tuna. Also, the Southeast and Gulf, they’re Tuna Commission, California tunas. Circumglobal, albacore Marathon, Florida Keys, 2006 is readily distinguished from are for many anglers the ultimate Florida Strait, but that suddenly dogtooth are far more solitary, mislabeled bonito, and generally photographer, writer and angler prefer temperate (versus tropical) other small tunas. One of the Blackfin are also similar in prize among all game fishes. Ditto came to an end after the 1960s. and unlike most tunas are not a avoided. Yet they are tremendous Bill Boyce says tuna definitely most widely dispersed of small seas and rarely venture near shore. appearance to small yellowfin, schooling species. Finally, they fighters for their size, battling in follow dolphin (not vice versa). for sushi eaters, who at market (F) BONITOS They’ve long been a popular prefer to haunt steep reef slopes; classic tuna fashion. Little tunny are tunas, the skipjack is found The tuna seem to understand that but the blackfin’s finlets are dark may bid hundreds of thousands of (Sarda spp) target for California anglers, in all temperate and tropical rather than bright yellow. The dollars for a single giant. (In 2013, anglers needn’t travel far offshore readily identified by the wavy lines dolphin will find the baitfish; the particularly off the central part of seas, where it often forms huge species is limited to the western a Japanese businessman coughed IGFA all-tackle records: Atlantic — to tangle with doggies. A fine along their upper back, behind tuna then help corral the bait, the state, but their availability schools. Not all anglers realize Atlantic, most commonly from up $1.76 million for a 488-pound 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Azores, 1953; eating fish, dogtooth are known for the dorsal, and the spots between pushing it to the surface. in the summer varies greatly from Pacific — 21 pounds, 5 ounces, that its light meat should make the mid-Atlantic states south to bluefin during a bidding war in their brutal power when hooked. pectoral and ventral fins. Small year to year. Later in summer and Southern California, 2003 it a preferred species for the OTHER TUNAS Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. Tokyo’s first auction of that year.) (H) KAWAKAWA tunny are also popular as baitfish, fall, albacore move up into waters In addition to the Atlantic bonito, fish box. The skipjack is of Blackfin often form large schools, There’s some irony in the fact that (Euthynnus affinis) drifted live or trolled dead. They There are several other species off Oregon, Washington and huge importance globally as a sometimes mixed with little tunny, before the latter part of the 20th there are three other species form and feed in tight schools, of very small tuna, generally British Columbia but are often too commercial species, with great around offshore structure and reef century, sport fishermen had no of Sarda (Pacific, striped and IGFA all-tackle record: 33 pounds, often churning the surface as they not commonly caught or of less far offshore for most. 3 ounces — Hawaii, 2014 tonnage ending up canned. drop-offs. They’re an important and use for giant bluefin, which at Australian). These four true bonitos gorge on baitfish.
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