Bluefin Tuna
The biggest tuna in the world, endangered!
Bluefin Tuna Characteristics
This is a very large fish, and when I say very large, I mean it! They can grow up to 11 feet long and 1400 lbs in weight! The back of the fish is very dark blue, with the color depleting down to a white. The dorsal fin is a brown, rusty color. It has sharp thorn like points going from the dorsal fin to the tail on both the top and bottom. Something special about its body is that it has a natural heater! The muscles it uses when it swims effectively maintains the body temperature of the fish. Something strange about it, is that if it stops swimming, it will sink!
Community Interaction
The Bluefin Tuna is near the top of the food chain. The gigantic fish eats many smaller fish such as herring, and mackerel, to squid and eel! It's predators are other large fish, sharks, and whales. One of the symbiotic relationships found in this fish is parasitism. A common parasite of the bluefin and many other fish are copepods. They link onto the outside of fish.
Where in the World Are They?!
They live in a ocean biome. They are generally settled in the North Atlantic, and Mediterranean Sea. They are fish so they live in the ocean obviously. The northern Atlantic ocean is generally colder than the southern Atlantic ocean, and the surface temperature can range from 50's in the higher parts of the ocean, and mid 70's in the lower parts.
Endangered?
The Bluefin Tuna is endangered for one apparent reason: overfishing. The bluefin is a great sushi and sashimi. It is known as a great delicacy all around the world, but MOST of the bluefin are prized in Japan. Some have been sold from $100,000 to $1,000,000. The bluefin is an important animal because of its rank on the food chain. It consumes many smaller fish, and it keeps a certain balance. A decrease in bluefin can lead to an increase in the smaller fish, and ultimately a decrease in the amount of phytoplankton in the ocean! They have been neglected to be on the endangered list, ALTHOUGH they are endangered. The NOAA is still looking into it and seeing how the population will be affected once again. At https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/ it is stated that there is a 3 atlantic bluefin tuna catch per day, per vessel, and this runs from September 1, 2013, to December 31, 2013.
More Pictures
School of Fish
A big group of bluefin tuna.
Save
Save this fish before it goes extinct!
Upclose
An upclose image of the bluefin tuna.
Bibliography
- Harvey, Fiona. "Overfishing Causes Pacific Bluefin Tuna Numbers to Drop 96%." The Guardian. N.p., 9 Jan. 2013. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jan/09/overfishing-pacific-bluefin-tuna>.
- "Setting Sail to Shut down Bluefin Tuna Fisheries." Greenpeace International. N.p., 15 May 2010. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/features/Setting-sail-to-shut-down-Mediterranean-bluefin-tuna-fisheries/>.
- Duncan. "Would You Care More for Blue Fin Tuna." The Inspiration Room. N.p., 3 Apr. 2011. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2011/would-you-care-more-for-blue-fin-tuna/>.
- Braun, David. "Nations Wrestle over Ban on Tuna Trade." News Watch. N.p., 5 Mar. 2010. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/05/nations_wrestle_over_ban_on_tu/>
- "Atlantic Bluefin Tuna." Nationalgeographic.com. National Geographic, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/bluefin-tuna/>.
- Gardieff, Susie. "FLMNH Ichthyology Department: Bluefin Tuna." FLMNH Ichthyology Department: Bluefin Tuna. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/Gallery/Descript/BluefinTuna/BluefinTuna.html>.
- "Bluefin Tuna." WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://worldwildlife.org/species/bluefin-tuna>.
- "NMFS Permit Shop." NMFS Permit Shop. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/>.
- "Bluefin Tuna." Www.safmc.net. South Atlantic Fishery Management Council, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://www.safmc.net/fishidandregs/fishgallery/bluefintuna/tabid/276/default.aspx>.
- "Oceana | Protecting the World's Oceans." Oceana.org. Oceana, n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2013. <http://oceana.org/en/eu/media-reports/features/bluefin-tuna>.