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5 Crazy Facts About Bluefin Tuna

5 Crazy Facts About Bluefin Tuna

Written by Leisure Pro Staff
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Published on September 13, 2014

Bluefin tuna is widely known in the marine community, from SCUBA divers to sport fishermen, and is a prized species among advanced members of the latter group. But for all the bluefin tuna facts you know, there are plenty of things you may not, so here are just five crazy bluefin tuna facts about this world-class migratory species.

Bluefin Tuna Facts

There isn’t just one bluefin tuna.

“Bluefin tuna” is actually a blanket term for four different types of fish under the genus Thunnus. These include the Southern tuna, the Pacific tuna, the Atlantic tuna, and the Longtail tuna. The Pacific tuna is the a largest of these fish. This tuna can grow up to 9.8 feet in length.

Bluefin tuna is a long-life fish.

The lifespan of bluefin tuna can reach forty years. Their long lives allow them to migrate across entire oceans. Unfortunately, the ability of this tuna to live so long and swim so far has a drawback. It is difficult for scientists to track the migrating habits of this tuna, making conservation efforts for the fish difficult.

Bluefin tuna is a high end delicacy food species.

Bluefin tuna is widely regarded as a specialty in Asia. Their flesh is common in top caliber sushi and sashimi. A single tuna can fetch 1.75 million dollars. This was as recent as 2013, where a Japanese chef paid that amount for an 480 pound specimen. However, don’t expect those prices to always be so high. The high prices are sometimes publicity stunts to increase a restaurant’s prestige. Regardless, one fish can still sell for 70,000 dollars with little fanfare.

The bluefin tuna is endangered.

Bluefin tuna are endangered, and this is bad news. Their coveted culinary use makes them extremely lucrative for fisherman to search and capture. The number of these tuna are dwindling. On a moral level, it’s disheartening to see an entire species of fish wiped out by greed. On a more pragmatic level, the lost of this tuna is distressing because they are one of the oceans top predators. The dwindling numbers of this tuna can have an influence on the entire ocean ecosystem.

Bluefin tuna was once “junk” meat.

The bluefin hasn’t always suffered from such a popularity crisis. As recently as 1960, this tuna was sold for pennies a pound and ground up in cat food. It was only the rise of sushi’s popularity that created the current crisis.

Leisure Pro Staff

Leisure Pro Staff

Marketing Director for LeisurePro