EFSA - European Federation of Sea Anglers
The Official Site for The European Federation of Sea Anglers
Home About EFSA European Records EFSA Rules Site Map Contact EFSA
 
EFSA - European Federation Of Sea Anglers

Bluefin Tuna (THUNNUS THYNNUS)

Line
Class
kgs		 Line
Class
lbs		 Weight
in
kgs		 Weight
in
lbs. ozs		 Place
of
capture		 Country
of
capture		 Date
of
capture		 Name
of
angler
     
TUNA, BLUE-FINNED / THUNNUS THYNNUS
6 12 39.40 86.14 Il Tabacco Italy 111099 L. Cavagnaro
8 16 35.50 78.4 Marina Di Pisa Italy 111099 A. Cifarelli
10 20 83.00 182.15 Livorno Italy 160594 D. Zingoni
15 30 190.00 418.14 Albarella Italy 160900 S. Bersanetti
24 50 407.00 897.4 Gran Canaria Canary Is. 250377 C. Chtivelman
37 80 397.00 875.4 Porto Barricata Italy 040897  S. Bersanetti
60 130 418.00 921.8 Saint Cyprien France 050895 M. Segonne
AT AT 418.00 921.8 Saint Cyprien France  050895 M. Segonne

The Bluefin Tuna (Thynnus Thynnus)

was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 as Scomber thynnus. A variety of names followed, including Thynnus thynnus, Thunnus vulgaris, and Albacora thynnus. In 1896, Jordan and Evermann first allocated the tuna into the genus Thunnus, now the accepted name. While scientists have debated whether the species actually represents multiple species or subspecies, evidence now suggests that Thunnus thynnus is a single species. The genus name Thunnus is derived from the Greek "thynnos" meaning tunna while the species name thynnus is translated as tunny.

The bluefin tuna is distributed throughout the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in subtropical and temperate waters. In the western Atlantic Ocean, it is found from Labrador, Canada, to northern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico. In the eastern Atlantic Ocean, it is found from Norway to the Canary Islands.

Bluefin Tuna (Thynnus Thynnus) - European Federation of Sea Angling
Bluefin tuna illustration
courtesy NOAA

In the western Pacific Ocean, it is distributed from Japan to the Philippines. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, it is distributed from the southern coast of Alaska, USA to Baja California, Mexico.

This tuna is epipelagic and oceanic, coming near shore seasonally. It can tolerate a considerable range of temperatures and has been observed both above and below the thermocline, down to depths of greater than 3000 feet (9,850 m).

Bluefin tuna exhibit strong schooling behavior while they are young. While schooling is believed to be sight oriented, schools have been observed at night. Therefore, other senses (particularly the lateral line) appear to be involved in this behavior. Schools of bluefin seasonally migrate northward during the summer months along the coast of Japan and and the Pacific coast of North America. Tagged adult fish have made trans-Pacific migrations: some eastward, and some westward. Other tagging studies have shown that a bluefin can cross the Atlantic in less than 60 days. They can swim at speeds up to 45 mph (72.5 kph).

Information supplied by www.flmnh.ufl.edu

 
European Federation of Sea Anglers - EFSA - Resources