Yellowfin tuna
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Yellowfin tuna | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
||||||||||||||
| Conservation status | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Thunnus albacares Bonnaterre, 1788 |
The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a type of tuna found in open waters of tropical and subtropical seas worldwide. It is also known as ahi tuna, from its Hawaiian name ʻahiʻ. The name ahi in Hawaiian also refers to bigeye tuna[2]. It is an epipelagic fish ranging in the top 100 m (330 feet) of the water column. Reported sizes have ranged as high as 239 cm (94 inches) in length and 200 kg (440 lb) in weight. Yellowfin is becoming a popular replacement for the severely depleted supplies of Southern bluefin tuna.
The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are both bright yellow, thus the common name, and can be very long in mature specimens, as are the pectoral fins. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which has about 20 vertical lines.
Yellowfins tend to school with fishes of the same size, including other species of tuna, and larger fish. They are often seen with dolphins, porpoises, whales and whale sharks. Yellowfins eat other fish, crustaceans, and squid.
Contents |
[edit] Commerce
Commercial fisheries catch yellowfin tuna with encircling nets (purse seines) and with longlines. The fish are mainly sold in frozen or canned form, but are also popular as sashimi.
[edit] Environment
Recent studies proved that this species is endangered especially in the Mediterranean sea. This is due to over-fishing serving commercial interests regardless of high concern from the scientific and environmental community. The last fishing quotas [3] recently approved by the EU for 2009 are far above what is scientifically recommended in order to preserve this species.
[edit] Sport and food
Yellowfin tuna are a popular sport fish in many parts of their range and are prized for their speed and strength when fought on rod and reel as well as for their table qualities.
[edit] Culinary uses
According to the Hawaii Seafood Buyers Guide 'Yellowfin tuna is widely used in raw fish dishes, especially sashimi. This fish is also excellent for grilling. [1] Yellowfin is often served seared or rare.
Yellowfin buyers often recognize two grades, "Sashimi grade" and "other", although there are variations in the quality of "other" grades. [2]
Although the species name "albacares" might suggest otherwise, the fish usually known as albacore is a different species of tuna.
In terms of whether the yellowfin tuna fishing industry is sustainable, the jury is out. The Audubon's Seafood Guide (a guide for what types of marine food products are not eco-friendly) lists yellowfin tuna that have been troll-caught as "OK" but those that have been long-line caught as "Be Careful".[3]
[edit] References
- Punt, A. (1996). Thunnus albacares. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 13 April 2008. Listed as Least Concern (v2.3).
- "Thunnus albacares". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. April 2008 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2008.
