YELLOWFIN TUNA - Thunnus Albacares

Home , Albacore, Bigeye tuna, Skipjack tuna, Yellowfin tuna

Pacific Island Species YELLOWFIN TUNA - Thunnus albacares

Masa Ushioda - SEAPICS REEL LIFE: Although yellowfin tuna are fast hunters, they are also hunted - caught by commercial and sports fishers. Also known as: A'ahi, Ahi (Hawaiian), yellowfin tuna will reach maturity at about Yellowfin tuna are fast hunters which Allison Tuna, Asiasi, Badla-an, Jaydher, 2 years of age and a size of 100 cm. They prey on a wide variety of fish including Kababa, Kihada, Maha'o, Otara, Palaha, spawn in warm waters of 26˚C (78.8˚ F). dolphinfish, pilchard, anchovy, flyingfish, Rabil, Te baibo, Thon Jaune, Thunfisch, Each female adult yellowfin tuna will mackerel, lancetfish, and other tuna such Tonno Albacora, Tonnos Macropteros, spawn a million eggs a year but the lives of as the smaller skipjack, plus species such To’ou, Toghu, Toghu hangar. yellowfin tuna are short – with the average as cuttlefish, squid, octopus, shrimp,and age being recorded as just 5-6 years old. larvae stages of lobster or crabs. Hatchlings: A yellowfin tuna hatchling will feed on plankton and then small fish, School days: Yellowfin tuna prefer Smaller yellowfin tuna may be eaten krill, squid and crustaceans to grow to waters of 18˚C-31˚C (64.4˚F – 87.8˚F) by larger tuna, seabirds, wahoo, sharks about 60 cm in one year. It seems that and can generally be found in the top and billfish but the larger tuna are only young yellowfin tuna grow more slowly 100 metres of the ocean, sometimes hunted by the great hunters such as the in Indonesia and Philippines than they gathering around drifting objects such mako shark or toothed whales such as do in the Pacific Islands. as wood, patches of seagrass, boats, or the false killer whale. dead marine mammals. Yellowfin tuna Yellowfin tuna can be as long as 200 are found throughout the Pacific, from cm and weigh a hefty 150 kilos. Most latitudes of approximately 40˚N to 40˚S. PASSPORT YELLOWFIN TUNA PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES WHERE YELLOWFIN SCHOOLS ARE:

Reel life: Yellowfin tuna are caught by a variety of methods, from small-scale artisanal fisheries in Pacific Island waters and Southeast Asia to large foreign fishing longline vessels (that take mostly adult yellowfin tuna) and foreign purse seine vessels that can often capture younger tuna.

Most yellowfin tuna (about 50% of those caught) are taken by purse seine fishing vessels. The Western and Central Pacific Ocean catch was around 430, 000 tonnes in 2006 with around one quarter of this catch taken by Indonesia and Philippines.

Yellowfin tuna are considered subject to overfishing.

Out of water: Yellowfin tuna has a pink to deep red coloured flesh that becomes lighter when cooked and can go brown in a few days so needs to be loined or filleted shortly before use. It is a popular sushi fish, firm and mild in flavour, but unlike the ultimate sushi tuna bigeye and bluefin tuna, it quickly loses its colour. Sometimes yellowfin can lack the pigmentation when caught (which is said to be due to spawning or overheating as the fish die) and these fish are often referred to as "burnt" tuna - less valuable for sashimi and more likely to dry out if grilled. SEAPICS - TanyaBurnett

Most yellowfin tuna is canned, fresh and frozen and it is also sometimes smoked. Major canneries using yellowfin tuna are in Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Mexico, Spain and Italy. US, Japan and Europe are the major markets for OUT OF WATER: Yellowfin tuna is often delivered yellowfin tuna. fresh or frozen for sashimi.

More Information: Oceanic Fisheries Management Project www.ffa.int/gef. Project queries email: [email protected], Media queries email: [email protected] Pacific Island Species ALBACORE TUNA - Thunnus alalunga

Masa Ushioda - SEAPICS REEL LIFE: Most albacore tuna are caught on longlines set below the surface of the ocean. Also known as: Aha Palaha, Albies, been caught weighing as much as 40 Albacore tuna can swim speeds of 80 Angaraap, Apakoa, Binnaga, German kilos. An albacore tuna has a maximum km an hour as they migrate south in Bonito, Germon, Hangaraap, Longfin, life span of 10-12 years. the summer and north in the winter, Longfin tuna, Longfin Tunny, Pacific feeding on fishes, crustaceans and Albacore, Pigfish, Tombo Ahi, Thon School days: Albacore tuna is divided squid. Blanc. into the stocks in the northern Pacific and the stocks in the southern Pacific, Albacore tuna spawn in subtropical Hatchlings: An albacore tuna most preferring waters of 15˚C-19˚C waters from Hawaii in the northeast to hatchling, will feed on plankton and (59˚F-66.2˚F). New Caledonia in the southwest in the then small fish to grow to 45-50 Pacific. centimetres in its first year. Then its Pacific Island countries that albacore growth is more steady, 10cm or so tuna call its home are are those with Sharks, larger tuna and billfish prey on every year until it is an adult of 90cm waters mostly south of 15˚ South (New albacore tuna. weighing around 15 kilos. But albacore Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, Niue, tuna can stack on the kilos and have Samoa, Cook, French Polynesia). PASSPORT ALBACORE TUNA

PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES WHERE ALBACORE SCHOOLS ARE:

OUT OF WATER: Albacore tuna is known internationally as 'white meat' tuna, or sometimes 'chicken of the sea'. Reel life: Most albacore tuna are Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tonga, popular. Small albacore tuna has flesh caught by longline fishing vessels – Samoa, Cook Isalnds, and French that is whitish-pink and less fatty than baited fishing lines which are designed Polynesia. the pink fatty flesh of large albacore to sink deep in the water or float close tuna – which can be softer and more to the surface. Out of water: Longline-caught difficult to slice for sashimi than other albacore tuna are usually 15-20 kilos types of tuna. Around 60,000-70,000 tonnes of and are sold frozen whole to canneries, albacore tuna are caught in the South fresh to export markets or as frozen Albacore is exported as fresh, Pacific Islands region each year. Stocks quarter loins. While most albacore frozen and canned (white tuna) of albacore tuna are considered tuna ends up in a can, and is marketed predominantly to the US, Canada, healthy. Pacific Island countries that as “white meat tuna”, fresh fish and Japan, and Spain. predominantly catch albacore are Fiji, albacore sashimi is becoming more

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 spawn 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 oxygen 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, krill, squid and crustaceans. 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 yellowfin tuna, 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- sharks 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 fishing 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 fishery 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 Ocean varied between about be taken in the domestic fisheries 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.

Masa Ushioda - SEAPICS SCHOOL DAYS: Short-lived, fast-breeding skipjack tuna is a common sight in Pacific Island waters. Also known as: Aku, Atu, Atun, Bonite, creating 80,000 to 2 million eggs per objects or large marine mammals and Bonite á ventre rayé, Bonito, Banjo, year until they die at about 5 years old often school according to size – so that Cachurreta, Faolua, Ga’oga Gaiado, Lesser (maximum age is 8-12 years). Skipjack tuna swimming together have the same Tunny, Listado, Merma, Mushmouth, tuna heavy weights are around 20 kilos speed for travelling and feeding. Nzirru, Palamatu, Stripe Bellied Bonito, with most significantly smaller. Striped Bellied Tunny, Tunna, Victor Fish. All the large predators such as sharks and School days: Where schools of skipjack billfish commonly prey on skipjack tuna. Hatchlings: A skipjack tuna hatchling of tuna go varies widely and is thought 3 millimetres will feed on plankton and to depend on ocean currents and Reel life: Skipjack tuna can be caught then small fish, crustaceans and molluscs temperatures with schools most enjoying on lines or in nets. They are commonly to grow to 40cm in its first year. water temperatures above 25 ˚C (68˚ F). caught by Pacific Island pole-and-line fleets, Japanese pole-and-line fleets Skipjack tuna are fast and racy tuna - Countries between Latitude 10˚N and and domestic fleets in Indonesia and reaching sexual maturity in its first year, 10˚S are particularly rich in skipjack tuna Philippines using a variety of methods. they will breed rapidly, one female tuna schools. They like to travel with floating PASSPORT SKIPJACK TUNA PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES WHERE SKIPJACK SCHOOLS ARE:

REEL LIFE: Skipjack tuna are mostly caught in large purse seine nets by non-Pacific Island countries. Small but locally important artisanal total skipjack tuna catch in recent years. must be consumed 6 days after landing fisheries for skipjack and other tuna Stocks of skipjack tuna are considered or the red flesh will quickly turn brown (using mainly trolling and traditional abundant making up 70% of the total and soft. methods) occur in many of the Pacific tuna catch in the Pacific Ocean. During Islands. Some Pacific Islands are looking the 1990s, annual catches from this Most skipjack tuna is canned in at reviving pole and line fishing to meet region were about 500,000–800,000 Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines. local and niche markets. tonnes before increasing sharply to Pacific Island countries of Samoa, PNG approach 1,000,000 tonnes in 2004– and Solomon Islands have also active By far the most common way for 2006. canneries. Skipjack is also sold fresh and skipjack tuna to be caught is in large frozen. purse seine nets by distant water Out of water: High quality sashimi fishing nation fleets from Japan, Korea, skipjack tuna has deep red coloured In Japan, skipjack tuna is known as Taiwan and the USA in the Western and flesh that becomes lighter when katsuo, and is commonly smoked and Central Pacific Ocean. Philippines and cooked. It has a stronger taste than dried to make katsuobushi the central Indonesia made up to 20–25% of the other tunas and a short shelf life. It ingredient in making dashi (fish stock).

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