Yellow Fin Tuna

Fact File: Common Name(s):Yellow Fin Tuna Scientific Name: Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788) Usual Size: To 200cm but common to 150cm UK Record Weights from rod/line: Shore: Boat: MAFF Minimum Size: Shore: Boat:

Identification: Typical tunny shape. A large tuna species, with some of the larger fish having dorsal and anal fins which can become well over 20% of the total fork length. Pectoral fins moderately long reaching beyond second the start of the dorsal fin. Swim bladder present. Colour: back metallic blue, which changes through to yellow and silver on the belly, which is crossed with approximately 20, broken, nearly vertical lines. Dorsal/anal fins and dorsal/anal finlets bright yellow with a narrow black border. Breeding: Egg dispersal - throughout the year. Fish over 120cm have attained maturity. Habitat:Prefers a water temperature of between 18/31ºC and can live above or below the thermocline. Effectively confined to the upper 100m of the water column. An oceanic species Food: Squid, Mackerels and other similar pelagic species Range: For the Eastern Atlantic from the southern coast of Spain down south to The Cape of Good Hope Additional Notes: Although none have been caught on rod and line in British Waters one positively identified Yellow fin Tuna was washed ashore in 1972 on a beach in North Wales. REFERENCES: FAO Species Catalogue 2 - Scombrids of The World - Collette/Nauen Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean - Whitehead, Bauchot, Hureau, Nielsen, Tortonese Key to the Fishes of Northern Europe - Wheeler

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