News Excerpt:
The Atlantic bluefin tuna now faces a new challenge of warming seas. Marine heatwaves are driving these fish to migrate northward, according to a recent study by Trinity College Dublin.
About Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
- Bluefin are the largest tunas, capable of living up to 40 years.
- They migrate across all oceans and can dive to depths exceeding 3,000 feet.
- Their body, retractable fins and eyes are suitable for speed like a torpedo.
- Most Atlantic bluefin tuna are caught in the Mediterranean Sea.
- It is highly valued as a food fish and is extensively fished throughout its range.
- They typically visit the Irish coast during summer and autumn as part of their annual migration.
- The study revealed that some bluefins are migrating further north than expected, a shift attributed to rising sea temperatures.
- Historically, bluefins were plentiful in Irish waters and across the North Atlantic.
- However, lucrative commercial fishing led to significant population declines, causing their near disappearance from Ireland in the 2000s.
- Recently, bluefins have reappeared in their historic Irish feeding grounds, thanks to improved management over the past decade.
Conservation Status: There are three species of bluefin: Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern. In which Atlantic bluefin is largest and most endangered.
As per IUCN latest data: The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) moved from Endangered to Least Concern while the Southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered. The albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and yellowfin tunas (Thunnus albacares) both moved from Near Threatened to Least Concern.
