71-541: The albacore ( Thunnus alalunga ), known also as the longfin tuna , is a species of tuna of the order Scombriformes . It is found in temperate and tropical waters across the globe in the epipelagic and mesopelagic zones. There are six distinct stocks known globally in the Atlantic , Pacific , and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea . The albacore has an elongate, fusiform body with
142-674: A calque (loan translation) from the German Thunfisch . Canned tuna is sometimes used as food for pets, especially cats . Canned tuna was first produced in Australia in 1903 and quickly became popular. In the early 1980s canned tuna in Australia was most likely southern bluefin , as of 2003 it was usually yellowfin, skipjack , or tongol (labelled "northern bluefin" or "longtail"). Australian standards once required cans of tuna to contain at least 51% tuna, but those regulations were dropped in 2003. The remaining weight
213-471: A food fish , and is popular as a bluewater game fish . As a result of overfishing , some tuna species, such as the southern bluefin tuna , are threatened with extinction . The term "tuna" comes from Spanish atún < Andalusian Arabic at-tūn , assimilated from al-tūn التون [Modern Arabic التن ] : 'tuna fish' < Middle Latin thunnus . Thunnus is derived from Ancient Greek : θύννος , romanized : thýnnos used for
284-680: A "best choice" for consumers, although notes some "moderate concerns" regarding the management effectiveness (in particular, no definitive assessment of the albacore stock of the Indian Ocean fishery has taken place), and "moderate concern" over the fishing stock, especially regarding the North Atlantic albacore population, which the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) considers overfished with overfishing still occurring. In 2007, SeaChoice considered
355-594: A 1:1 sex ratio while older albacore are mostly male. In the Atlantic Ocean, older fish are found in cooler waters. The opposite is true for the Pacific Ocean, where fish are found more abundantly along thermal discontinuities. Depth range also varies by location: Atlantic fish dive as deep as 600 m (2,000 ft) where Pacific fish reach only 380 m (1,250 ft) in depth. In the northeast Atlantic, feeding migrations to productive areas occur during
426-414: A conical snout, large eyes, and remarkably long pectoral fins . Its body is a deep blue dorsally and shades of silvery white ventrally . Individuals can reach up to 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) in length. Albacore are pelagic predators that eat a wide variety of foods, including but not limited to fish , crustaceans , and cephalopods . They are unique among tuna in that their primary food source
497-678: A different record was set when a fisherman in Massachusetts caught an 881 lb (400 kg) tuna. It was captured inadvertently using a dragnet. Due to the laws and restrictions on tuna fishing in the United States, federal authorities impounded the fish because it was not caught with a rod and reel. Because of the tuna's deteriorated condition as a result of the trawl net, the fish sold for just under $ 5,000. Besides for edible purposes, many tuna species are caught frequently as game, often for recreation or for contests in which money
568-462: A lifespan of 11–12 years, but they reach reproductive maturity at around 5–6 years. A large majority of albacore have larger right testes or ovaries, depending on sex. Albacore have asynchronous oocyte development, that is their immature egg cells do not develop at regular intervals. The creation of ova , known as oogenesis , begins with the rapid production of oogonia (undifferentiated germ cells that give rise to oocytes) by mitotic separations in
639-465: A relatively narrow range. Tunas achieve endothermy by conserving the heat generated through normal metabolism . In all tunas, the heart operates at ambient temperature , as it receives cooled blood, and coronary circulation is directly from the gills . The rete mirabile ("wonderful net"), the intertwining of veins and arteries in the body's periphery, allows nearly all of the metabolic heat from venous blood to be "re-claimed" and transferred to
710-485: A single fish – the current record is 333.6 million japanese yen (US$ 3.1 million) for a 278 kg (613 lb) bluefin, or a unit price of JP¥ 1,200,000/kg (US$ 5,057/lb). The opening auction price for 2014 plummeted to less than 5% of the previous year's price, which had drawn complaints for climbing "way out of line". A summary of record-setting auctions are shown in the following table (highlighted values indicate new world records): In November 2011,
781-405: A streamlined, fusiform body with a conical snout, large mouth, and big eyes. Its body is dark blue dorsally, shades of silvery white ventrally, and covered by small scales. The pectoral fins begin slightly before the first dorsal fin and extend well beyond the front of the anal fin , usually as far as the second dorsal finlet, often as long as 30% of the fish's total length. Like the fish's body,
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#1732791050638852-463: A variety of other gears the remainder. The Australian government alleged in 2006 that Japan had illegally overfished southern bluefin by taking 12,000 to 20,000 tonnes per year instead of the agreed upon 6,000 tonnes; the value of such overfishing would be as much as US$ 2 billion. Such overfishing has severely damaged bluefin stocks. According to the WWF , "Japan's huge appetite for tuna will take
923-682: A western Pacific-wide ban on tuna purse-seining in the vicinity of marine mammals – a measure which was agreed by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission at its eighth meeting in March 2012. Dolphins swim beside several tuna species. These include yellowfin tuna in the eastern Pacific Ocean, but not albacore . Tuna schools are believed to associate themselves with dolphins for protection against sharks, which are tuna predators . Commercial fishing vessels used to exploit this association by searching for dolphin pods. Vessels would encircle
994-492: A woman from before she becomes pregnant. Ranging from as low as 0.027 ppm (parts per million) to 0.26 ppm, the average total mercury content of albacore is 0.14 ± 0.05 ppm. Larger fish tend to bioaccumulate higher methylmercury levels. For the most part, there is positive correlation between an albacore's methylmercury measurement and its weight and length. Albacore caught by the American albacore fishing fleet off
1065-658: Is Heteroteuthis dispar , a tiny deep-water squid found in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean. Another cephalopod species preyed upon is Berryteuthis anonychus . Other food sources of the albacore include fish (including Cololabis saira , Engraulis japonicus , and Engraulis mordax ), crustaceans, and gelatinous organisms. Not much is known about the food pattern of the albacore, however, mostly because it dives over 400 m (1,300 ft) underwater when searching for food, and tagging and tracking has been unsuccessful thus far. The albacore's reproduction
1136-420: Is oviparous and a 20 kg (44 lb) female can produce between 2–3 million eggs per spawning, which usually takes place between November and February. Eggs mature outside of the female's body and hatch in 1–2 days, after which fry begin to grow quickly. For the first year of their lives, juveniles remain close to the place where they were hatched. They begin to migrate after their first year. Albacore have
1207-455: Is a sleek, elongated and streamlined fish, adapted for speed. It has two closely spaced but separated dorsal fins on its back; The first fin is "depressible" – it can be laid down, flush, in a groove that runs along its back; it is supported by spines. Seven to ten yellow finlets run from the dorsal fins to the tail, which is lunate – curved like a crescent moon – and tapered to pointy tips. A tuna's pelvic fins are located below
1278-409: Is a tool for visualizing and comparing the evolutionary relationships between taxa , and is read left-to-right as if on a timeline. The following cladogram illustrates the relationship between the tunas and other tribes of the family Scombridae. For example, the cladogram illustrates that the skipjack tunas are more closely related to the true tunas than are the slender tunas (the most primitive of
1349-464: Is a versatile ingredient that is used a wide variety of dishes. In some parts of the world, other species may be called "albacore": Tuna A tuna ( pl. : tunas or tuna) is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini , a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel ) family. The Thunnini comprise 17 species across five genera , the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from
1420-569: Is an important commercial fish . The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) compiled a detailed scientific report on the state of global tuna stocks in 2009, which includes regular updates. According to the ISSF, the most important species for commercial and recreational tuna fisheries are yellowfin ( Thunnus albacares ), bigeye ( T. obesus ), bluefin ( T. thynnus , T. orientalis , and T. macoyii ), albacore ( T. alalunga ), and skipjack ( Katsuwonus pelamis ). Based on catches from 2007,
1491-816: Is awarded based on weight. Larger specimens are notorious for putting up a fight while hooked, and have been known to injure people who try to catch them, as well as damage their equipment. In 2005, Nauru , defending its vote from Australian criticism at that year's meeting of the International Whaling Commission , argued that some whale species have the potential to devastate Nauru's tuna stocks, and that Nauru's food security and economy relies heavily on fishing. Despite this, Nauru does not permit whaling in its own waters and does not allow other fishing vessels to take or intentionally interact with marine mammals in its Exclusive Economic Zone. In 2010 and 2011, Nauru supported Australian proposals for
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#17327910506381562-415: Is cephalopods, with fish making up a much smaller portion of their diet. Reproduction usually occurs from November to February and is oviparous . An adult female can release over two million eggs in a single cycle. Fry (juvenile fish) generally stay near where they were spawned for about a year before moving on. Albacore form schools based on their stage in the life cycle, but also combine with other tuna like
1633-415: Is likely to result in further declines in albacore biomass. All of the tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations noted that there is uncertainty surrounding the life history and biology of tunas and tuna like species including age and growth, maturity, and natural mortality rates; uncertainty about the quality and completeness of available data; and uncertainty about recruitment. The WCPFC has assessed
1704-441: Is only slightly larger at 1.0 m (3 ft 3 in). Males and females exhibit no sexual dimorphism . The albacore has a cosmopolitan distribution in tropical and temperate waters across the globe and in every ocean as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Its latitudinal range extends from 59°N to 46°S . Its temperature range is 10–25 °C (50–77 °F). Its depth range is 0–600 m (0–1,969 ft; 0–328 fathoms) in
1775-664: Is shipped, being prepared in a variety of ways. When served as a steak , the meat of most species is known for its thickness and tough texture. In the U.K., supermarkets began flying in fresh tuna steaks in the late 1990s, which helped to increase the popularity of using fresh tuna in cooking; by 2009, celebrity chefs regularly featured fresh tuna in salads, wraps, and char-grilled dishes. Various species of tuna are often served raw in Japanese cuisine as sushi or sashimi . Commercial sashimi tuna may have their coloration fixated by pumping carbon monoxide (CO) into bags containing
1846-444: Is smaller than the first, is a light yellow, as is the anal fin. It has 7–9 dorsal finlets and 7–8 anal finlets, dark blue and silvery white in color respectively, matching the part of the fish's body they are on. The caudal fin is also silvery white. At 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) maximum length, the albacore is the smallest of the bluefin tuna . It reaches sexual maturity at 0.9 m (2 ft 11 in) and its common length
1917-513: Is the contraction of Kinki University in Japanese (Kinki daigaku). In 2009, Clean Seas, an Australian company which has been receiving assistance from Kinki University managed to breed southern bluefin tuna in captivity and was awarded the second place in World's Best Invention of 2009 by Time magazine. The fresh or frozen flesh of tuna is widely regarded as a delicacy in most areas where it
1988-512: Is usually oil or water. The product became more plentiful in the United States in the late 1940s. In 1950, 8,500,000 pounds of canned tuna were produced, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture classified it as a "plentiful food". In the United States, 52% of canned tuna is used for sandwiches ; 22% for tuna salads ; and 15% for tuna casseroles and dried, prepackaged meal kits , such as General Mills 's Tuna Helper line. Other canned tuna dishes include tuna melts (a type of sandwich where
2059-517: The Atlantic bluefin tuna , that name in turn is ultimately derived from θύνω thýnō , meaning "to rush, dart along". In English, tuna has been referred to as Chicken of the Sea . This name persists today in Japan, where tuna as a food can be called シーチキン ( shi-chikin ) , literally "sea chicken". The Thunnini tribe is a monophyletic clade comprising 15 species in five genera : The cladogram
2130-887: The California Current with the season lasting from mid-July until October. Albacore are managed by four tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMO's): the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), and the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC). ICCAT has established catch quotas in
2201-543: The Pacific Ocean , 22 percent from the Indian Ocean , and the remaining 10 percent from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea . Skipjack makes up about 60 percent of the catch, followed by yellowfin (24 percent), bigeye (10 percent), albacore (5 percent), and bluefin the remainder. Purse-seines take about 62 percent of the world production, longline about 14 percent, pole and line about 11 percent, and
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2272-472: The arterial blood via a counter-current exchange system, thus mitigating the effects of surface cooling. This allows the tuna to elevate the temperatures of the highly- aerobic tissues of the skeletal muscles, eyes and brain, which supports faster swimming speeds and reduced energy expenditure, and which enables them to survive in cooler waters over a wider range of ocean environments than those of other fish. Also unlike most fish, which have white flesh,
2343-408: The bullet tuna (max length: 50 cm or 1.6 ft, weight: 1.8 kg or 4 lb) up to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (max length: 4.6 m or 15 ft, weight: 684 kg or 1,508 lb), which averages 2 m (6.6 ft) and is believed to live up to 50 years. Tuna, opah , and mackerel sharks are the only species of fish that can maintain a body temperature higher than that of
2414-417: The skipjack tuna , yellowfin tuna , and bluefin tuna . Once grown, schools are highly migratory. The albacore is a very economically important fish and is a target of commercial and recreational fisheries. It was originally the basis for the United States tuna-canning industry and is no less important today, making up significant percentages of the gross domestic products of various Pacific nations. It
2485-412: The 20th century. The migratory patterns of the fish brought droves of albacore schools near the coastline of southern California, which sparked the start of commercial albacore fishing. In 1903, 700 cases of albacore were used as an experimental pack which ultimately led to the development of the U.S. tuna-canning industry. The experiment was a huge success, and the commercial fishery expanded rapidly due to
2556-651: The North Pacific. Through these studies we have learned that juvenile albacore (to 2 years of age) make trans-Pacific migrations in their younger years between Japan and the West coast of North America. To date over 24,000 albacore have been tagged with conventional dart tags and 1,245 of these have been recovered. In Spring of 2001 AFRF and the SWFSC began a pilot project to learn more about the migration habits of North Pacific albacore, Thunnus alalunga in an effort to allow
2627-587: The North and South Atlantic. There are six globally managed stocks of albacore worldwide, one in the North Pacific, one in the South Pacific, another in the Indian Ocean, two for the North and South Atlantic, and one in the Mediterranean Sea. There is substantial uncertainty on current stock status, since different models and assumptions provide a wide range of estimates. However, most of them agreed on
2698-664: The Northeast Pacific: one off the northern part of Baja California , Mexico, and the other off the coasts of Washington and Oregon . Every summer, North Atlantic albacore head to the Bay of Biscay off of France and Spain , but now arrive about 8 days earlier than they did 40 years ago. Since the 1970s the NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) has collaborated with American Fishermen's Research Foundation (AFRF) in tagging studies of albacore in
2769-748: The South Pacific Albacore are not overfished. In the 2014 assessment, the Albacore Working Group of the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in North Pacific Ocean found estimates of total stock biomass (age-1 and older) show a long-term decline from the early 1970s to 1990 followed by a recovery through the 1990s and subsequent fluctuations without trend in the 2000s. The working group concludes that
2840-646: The albacore was authored in 1788 by Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre in the illustrated encyclopedia Tableau encyclopédique et methodique des trois règnes de la nature . He originally placed it in the mackerel genus Scomber . It was assigned to the genus Thunnus by ichthyologists Bruce B. Collette and Cornelia E. Nauen in 1983. It is a member of the Thunnus subgenus , also known as the bluefin group. Populations of albacore differ genetically by region, with Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean groups each showing differences in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA . The albacore has
2911-513: The base of the pectoral fins. Both dorsal and pelvic fins retract when the fish is swimming fast. The tuna's body is countershaded to camouflage itself in deeper water when seen from above, its dorsal side is generally a metallic dark blue while the ventral or under side is silvery, often with an iridescent shine. The caudal peduncle , to which the tail is attached, is quite thin, with three stabilizing horizontal keels on each side. Thunnus are widely but sparsely distributed throughout
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2982-412: The coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California have far lower mercury levels than in previous years. Albacore caught in this region also show methylmercury levels well below the 1.0 ppm mercury standard set by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Nevertheless, since mercury does take time to be removed from the body, albacore tuna should be eaten in moderation. As with other tunas, albacore meat
3053-554: The epipelagic and mesopelagic zones. It is most often found in surface waters 15.6–19.4 °C (60.1–66.9 °F) in temperature, though larger individuals can be found in deeper waters 13.5–25.2 °C (56.3–77.4 °F). It can survive at temperatures as low as 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) for short periods of time. It favors areas where warm and cool water mix. A highly migratory species, schools of albacore travel great distances, though Atlantic and Pacific populations do not appear to mix. North Pacific albacore migrate to two regions of
3124-402: The equator. The albacore is a powerful, hard-hitting predator that forms mixed schools with skipjack tuna , yellowfin tuna , and bluefin tuna , sometimes around floating objects like sargassum weeds. Schools of albacore are highly migratory within bodies of water and segregated by maturity, with older fish tending to form more compact groups. Of those caught by humans, immature albacore have
3195-399: The fins are dark blue on top, but change to a medium yellow color on the underside. They are markedly shorter in fish under 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) in length, often resulting in confusion with T. obesus juveniles, which also have long pectoral fins, though these are rounded at the tips where the albacore's taper to a point. The first dorsal fin is a deep yellow and the second, which
3266-414: The first U.S. offshore farming of bigeye tuna in water 1,300 feet (400 m) deep in 2009. Japan is the biggest tuna consuming nation and is also the leader in tuna farming research. Japan first successfully farm-hatched and raised bluefin tuna in 1979. In 2002, it succeeded in completing the reproduction cycle and in 2007, completed a third generation. The farm breed is known as Kindai tuna. Kindai
3337-592: The genus Thunnus . Until recently, it was thought that there were seven Thunnus species, and that Atlantic bluefin tuna and Pacific bluefin tuna were subspecies of a single species. In 1999, Collette established that based on both molecular and morphological considerations, they are in fact distinct species. The genus Thunnus is further classified into two subgenera : Thunnus ( Thunnus ) (the bluefin group), and Thunnus ( Neothunnus ) (the yellowfin group). The Thunnini tribe also includes seven additional species of tuna across four genera. They are: The tuna
3408-693: The gross domestic product in four PICTs. License fees from foreign ships provide an average of 3–40% of government revenue for seven different PICTs. Processing facilities and tuna fishing vessels provide more than 12,000 jobs for workers in the Pacific islands. Fish provide 50–90% of dietary animal protein in rural areas of PICTs. Albacore are sought after by sport fishers . Since 2000, a large recreational fishery for albacore has been established in Oregon, Washington and California. The fisheries in Oregon and Washington are supported by seasonal warm water influxes from
3479-480: The high level of demand for canned tuna. By the 1920s, the industry expanded further and three other species of tuna—bluefin, yellowfin, and skipjack—were also being canned. Albacore tuna is the only species that can be marketed as "white meat tuna". The canning industry uses this label to differentiate canned albacore from other types of tuna. From 2010 to 2013, a study by Oceana , an ocean preservation organization, tested over 114 samples of tuna, and found that 84% of
3550-428: The incorporation of detailed migration movements into stock assessment models. Archival tags are a recent technical innovation that are being used to collect daily locations (through light level data recorded by the tag), internal temperature of the fish's abdomen, ambient water temperature, and depth. Genetic research using ddRAD sequencing indicates that albacore migrate between the North and South Pacific oceans across
3621-592: The most sought-after stocks to the brink of commercial extinction unless fisheries agree on more rigid quotas". Japan's Fisheries Research Agency counters that Australian and New Zealand tuna fishing companies under-report their total catches of southern bluefin tuna and ignore internationally mandated total allowable catch totals. In recent years, opening day fish auctions at Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market and Toyosu Market have seen record-setting prices for bluefin tuna, reflecting market demand. In each of 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2019, new record prices have been set for
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#17327910506383692-574: The most widely accepted of these programs is that of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Several albacore fisheries have been certified as sustainable according to MSC standards, including the U.S. North and South Pacific albacore pole and line and troll/jig fisheries ("pole and troll"), Canadian North Pacific troll fishery, and the New Zealand South Pacific troll fishery. SeaChoice ranks albacore as
3763-444: The muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red myotomal muscles derive their color from myoglobin , an oxygen-binding molecule, which tuna express in quantities far higher than most other fish. The oxygen-rich blood further enables energy delivery to their muscles. For powerful swimming animals like dolphins and tuna, cavitation may be detrimental, because it limits their maximum swimming speed. Even if they have
3834-504: The oceans of the world, generally in tropical and temperate waters at latitudes ranging between about 45° north and south of the equator. All tunas are able to maintain the temperature of certain parts of their body above the temperature of ambient seawater. For example, bluefin can maintain a core body temperature of 25–33 °C (77–91 °F), in water as cold as 6 °C (43 °F). Unlike other endothermic creatures such as mammals and birds, tuna do not maintain temperature within
3905-409: The oogonial nests of female tuna. The resulting oocytes are cast en masse into the sea, where full development and later fertilization take place. Albacore is a prized food, and the albacore fishery is economically significant. Methods of fishing include pole and line , long-line fishing , trolling , and some purse seining . The harvest of albacore tuna for commercial use began at the start of
3976-453: The pod with nets to catch the tuna beneath. The nets were prone to entangling dolphins, injuring or killing them. Public outcry and new government regulations, which are now monitored by NOAA have led to more dolphin-friendly methods, now generally involving lines rather than nets. There are neither universal independent inspection programs nor verification of dolphin safety, so these protections are not absolute. According to Consumers Union ,
4047-513: The power to swim faster, dolphins may have to restrict their speed, because collapsing cavitation bubbles on their tail are too painful. Cavitation also slows tuna, but for a different reason. Unlike dolphins, these fish do not feel the bubbles, because they have bony fins without nerve endings. Nevertheless, they cannot swim faster because the cavitation bubbles create a vapor film around their fins that limits their speed. Lesions have been found on tuna that are consistent with cavitation damage. Tuna
4118-536: The public demand to protect dolphins can be potentially damaging to other species as well. Increasing quantities of high-grade tuna caught at sea are reared in net pens and fed bait fish. In Australia, former fishermen raise southern bluefin tuna ( Thunnus maccoyii ) and another bluefin species. Farming its close relative, the Atlantic bluefin tuna , Thunnus thynnus , is beginning in the Mediterranean , North America and Japan. Hawaiʻi approved permits for
4189-414: The report states: Between 1940 and the mid-1960s, the annual world catch of the five principal market species of tunas rose from about 300 thousand tons to about 1 million tons, most of it taken by hook and line . With the development of purse-seine nets, now the predominant gear, catches have risen to more than 4 million tons annually during the last few years. Of these catches, about 68 percent are from
4260-499: The resulting lack of accountability means claims of tuna that is " dolphin safe " should be given little credence. Fishery practices have changed to be dolphin friendly, which has caused greater bycatch including sharks , turtles and other oceanic fish . Fishermen no longer follow dolphins, but concentrate their fisheries around floating objects such as fish aggregation devices , also known as FADs, which attract large populations of other organisms. Measures taken thus far to satisfy
4331-423: The southern Atlantic stock to be overfished but not currently experiencing overfishing. They regarded North Pacific albacore stocks as not overfished and not likely to be experiencing overfishing. Like other fish, albacore accumulate methylmercury in body tissue over time. Methylmercury is removed from the human body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it may remain in
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#17327910506384402-520: The stock is likely not in an overfished condition at present. South Pacific albacore stocks have recently (2007 to 2015) shown a 40% reduction in stock. Population genomic research supports the distinction of separate North and South Pacific stocks, but results indicated that interbreeding occurs between these populations and some potential migrants were genetically identified. A number of programs have been developed to help consumers identify and support responsible and sustainable fisheries . Perhaps
4473-403: The summer. Due to climate changes over the last 40 years, the timing and spatial distribution of the albacore have also changed. Albacore show a broad range of behavioral differences by region. In Baja California , albacore make frequent dives to depths exceeding 200 m (660 ft) during the day and stay near the surface at night, while off the coast of Washington and Oregon they stay near
4544-408: The surface the entire day. Albacore never really rest; their need for oxygen means they must always be on the move. Albacore tuna are pelagic predators - open-sea hunters. Their diets vary very little from season to season. Unlike other tuna that eat primarily fish, for example the bigeye and yellowfin tuna, the albacore's main source of food is cephalopods . The most abundant cephalopod in its diet
4615-437: The surrounding water . An active and agile predator , the tuna has a sleek, streamlined body, and is among the fastest-swimming pelagic fish – the yellowfin tuna , for example, is capable of speeds of up to 75 km/h (47 mph). Greatly inflated speeds can be found in early scientific reports and are still widely reported in the popular literature. Found in warm seas, the tuna is commercially fished extensively as
4686-520: The tuna is mixed with mayonnaise and served on bread with cheese melted on top); salade niçoise (a salad made of tuna, olives, green beans, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and anchovy dressing); and tuna burgers (served on buns). In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates canned tuna (see part c ). Caudal fin Too Many Requests If you report this error to
4757-434: The tuna, and holding it at 4 °C. For a 2-inch tuna steak, this requires 24 hours. The fish is then vacuum sealed and frozen. In Japan, color fixation using CO is prohibited. Tuna is canned in edible oils , in brine , in water, and in various sauces. Tuna may be processed and labeled as "solid", "chunked" ("chunk") or "flaked". When tuna is canned and packaged for sale, the product is sometimes called tuna fish (U.S.),
4828-683: The tunas), and that the next nearest relatives of the tunas are the bonitos of the tribe Sardini. Butterfly kingfishes (one genus) Mackerels (two genera) [REDACTED] Spanish mackerels (three genera) [REDACTED] Bonitos (four genera) [REDACTED] Allothunnus , slender tunas Auxis , frigate tunas [REDACTED] Euthynnus , little tunas [REDACTED] Katsuwonus , skipjack tunas [REDACTED] bluefin group [REDACTED] yellowfin group [REDACTED] The "true" tunas are those that belong to
4899-412: The view that spawning stock biomass decreased since the 1930s and started to recover since the mid-1990s. Most of the model formulations, as well as the base case, concluded that currently the stock is not undergoing overfishing but the spawning stock biomass is overfished. IOTC judges albacore in the Indian Ocean are not overfished, but maintaining or increasing effort in the core albacore fishing grounds
4970-408: The white tuna samples were actually escolar . Many Pacific island countries and territories (PICTs) heavily rely on oceanic fisheries for economic development and food security. The albacore is one of the main four species of tuna that support oceanic fisheries along with the skipjack, yellowfin, and the bigeye tunas. Domestic tuna fleets and local fish processing operations contribute from 3–20% of
5041-592: Was listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because of the threat of overfishing but is now Least Concern again. Several stocks were in significant decline and the species' overall population were decreasing but are now recovering thanks to the enforcement of regional fishing quotas. T. atlanticus T. albacares T. tonggol T. obesus T. maccoyii T. thynnus T. alalunga T. orientalis The first scientific description of
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