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Southern Bluefin Tuna
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Southern Bluefin Tuna: Quick Facts
Scientific name: Thunnus maccoyii
Other names: Bluefin, southern bluefin, thon rouge de sud (Canada, France), atun del sur (Spain), minamimaguro, indo-maguro (Japan).
Ranking: E (Red - Worst Choice)
Best Fish Guide: Southern Bluefin Tuna
Ranking: E (Red - Worst Choice)
Description: Southern bluefin tuna is a long-lived migratory species, found throughout the Southern Hemisphere, which can move thousands of kilometres in a year. It is a highly sought after tuna species, due to its flesh being of high oil and low moisture content. Iin 1996 it’s depleted status resulted in it being ranked by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered. Southern bluefin tuna breed in the Indian Ocean off western Australia, arriving in New Zealand in prime condition at around the age of 5 years old, where they are caught off the east coast by longlining and trolling. Jointly with mako shark, snapper and oreo/deepwater dory, southern bluefin tuna has the second worst ecological ranking on the Best Fish Guide of any commercial fishery in New Zealand.
Ecological concerns: Southern bluefin stocks are severely over-fished – the breeding population is severely depleted and there is a high level of unreported and illegal catch (up to 30% of the reported catch). The lack of a management plan and the bycatch of seabirds, NZ fur seals, a range of shark species and the huge non-target fish bycatch are also of concern.
Economic value: Southern bluefin tuna are exported to Japan, the USA and Canada where it is highly prized for sashimi and sushi. Almost all large bluefins are shipped to Japan where they can fetch very high prices. An individual 444 pound bluefin sold for a record US$173,000 in Tokyo in 2001. The export value of southern blue fin tuna was $7million in 2008.
ASSESSMENT OUTPUT
Biology and risk of overfishing (score D)
Status and sustainability of fish catches (score E)
Impact of fishing method and protected, threatened and endangered species captures (score D and E)
Management and management unit (score B and D)
For a full ecological assessment, click here