Webreflinks - Yellowfin tuna

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Using redirect [[Purse seine|Purse seining]] for [[Seine fishing#Purse seine|Purse seining]]
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WebCite www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/red-list-of-species/

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 ===Purse seining===
-[[Seine fishing#Purse seine|Purse seining]] largely took over commercial tuna fisheries in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, purse seines account for more of the commercial catch than any other method. The purse seine fishery primarily operates in the [[Pacific Ocean]], in the historic tuna grounds of the San Diego tuna fleet in the eastern Pacific, and in the islands of the western Pacific, where many U.S. tuna canneries relocated in the 1980s; but significant purse-seine catches are also made in the [[Indian Ocean]] and in the tropical [[Atlantic Ocean]], especially in the [[Gulf of Guinea]] by French and Spanish vessels.
+[[Purse seine|Purse seining]] largely took over commercial tuna fisheries in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, purse seines account for more of the commercial catch than any other method. The purse seine fishery primarily operates in the [[Pacific Ocean]], in the historic tuna grounds of the San Diego tuna fleet in the eastern Pacific, and in the islands of the western Pacific, where many U.S. tuna canneries relocated in the 1980s; but significant purse-seine catches are also made in the [[Indian Ocean]] and in the tropical [[Atlantic Ocean]], especially in the [[Gulf of Guinea]] by French and Spanish vessels.
-In 2010, [[Greenpeace International]] added the yellowfin tuna to its seafood red list. The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a "list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries".<ref>[http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/red-list-of-species/#a3 Greenpeace International Seafood Red list]</ref>
+In 2010, [[Greenpeace International]] added the yellowfin tuna to its seafood red list. The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a "list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries".<ref>{{cite web|author=Background - August 15, 2008 |url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/red-list-of-species/#a3 |title=Greenpeace International Seafood Red list |publisher=Greenpeace.org |date=2008-08-15 |accessdate=2013-06-19}}</ref>
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{{speciesbox
| name = Yellowfin tuna
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN>{{IUCN2011.2 |assessors=Collette, B., Acero, A., Amorim, A. F., Boustany, A., Canales Ramirez, C., Cardenas, G., Carpenter, K. E., Chang, S.-K., de Oliveira Leite, Jr., N., Di Natale, A., Die, D., Fox, W., Fredou, F. L., Graves, J., Guzman-Mora, A., Viera Hazin, F. H., Hinton, M., Juan Jorda, M., Minte Vera, C., Miyabe, N., Montano Cruz, R., Masuti, E., Nelson, R., Oxenford, H., Restrepo, V., Salas, E., Schaefer, K., Schratwieser, J., Serra, R., Sun, C., Teixeira Lessa, R. P., Pires Ferreira Travassos, P. E., Uozumi, Y. & Yanez, E. |year=2011 |id=21857 |title=Thunnus albacares |downloaded=13 January 2012}}</ref>
| image = Thunnus albacares.png
| image_width = 200px
| range_map=
| range_map_caption=
| subgenus = [[Neothunnus]]
| taxon = Thunnus albacares
| authority = [[Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre|Bonnaterre]], 1788
| display_parents=2
}}
[[File:Yellowfin tuna diving.jpg|thumb|right|<center>Yellowfin tuna jumping</center>]]
[[File:Yellowfin tuna nurp.jpg|thumb|right|<center>[[Shoaling and schooling|Schooling]] yellowfin tuna</center>|alt=Photo of a few dozen fish swimming in dark water]]

The '''yellowfin tuna''' (''Thunnus albacares'') is a species of [[tuna]] found in [[pelagic]] waters of [[tropical]] and subtropical [[ocean]]s worldwide.

Yellowfin is often marketed as '''ahi''', from the [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] ''{{okina}}ahi'', a name also used there for the closely related [[bigeye tuna]].<ref name="hsbg"/> The species name, ''albacares'' ("white meat") can also lead to confusion: in English the [[albacore]] tuna (''Thunnus alalunga'') is a different species, while yellowfin is officially designated ''albacore'' in [[French language|French]] and referred to as ''albacora'' by Portuguese fishermen.

==Description==
The yellowfin tuna is among the larger tuna species, reaching weights of over {{convert|400|lb|kg}}, but is significantly smaller than the [[Atlantic bluefin tuna|Atlantic]] and [[Pacific bluefin tuna|Pacific bluefin]] tunas, which can reach over {{convert|1000|lb|kg}}, and slightly smaller than the bigeye tuna and the [[southern bluefin tuna]].

The second [[dorsal fin]] and the [[anal fin]], as well as the finlets between those fins and the tail, are bright yellow, giving this fish its common name. The second dorsal and anal fins can be very long in mature specimens, reaching almost as far back as the tail and giving the appearance of [[sickle]]s or [[scimitars]]. The [[pectoral fin]]s are also longer than the related [[bluefin tuna]], but not as long as those of the [[albacore]]. The main body is a very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which has about 20 vertical lines.

Reported sizes in the literature have ranged as high as {{convert|239|cm|in|sp=us}} in length and {{convert|200|kg|lb}} in weight. The [[International Game Fish Association]] (IGFA) record for this species stands at {{convert|388|lb|kg}}for a fish caught in 1977 near [[San Benedicto Island]] in the Pacific waters of Mexico. In 2010 a {{convert|405|lb}} yellowfin was caught off the tip of Mexico's [[Baja peninsula]], {{convert|86|in|mm|adj=on}} long with a girth of {{convert|61|in|mm}}. The catch is still pending verification by the IGFA.{{citation needed|date=September 2012}}. In 2012 a fisherman in Baja California caught a 427 pound yellowfin. If the catch is confirmed by the IGFA, the fisherman will receive a prize of $1&nbsp;million.<ref>"[http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-million-dollar-tuna,0,5811199.story Record Tuna Catch Could Fetch $1 Million]" ''KTLA'', 9 October 2012.</ref>

==Habitat==
Yellowfin tuna are [[epipelagic]] fish that inhabit the mixed surface layer of the ocean above the [[thermocline]]. Sonic tracking has found that although yellowfin tuna, unlike the related [[bigeye tuna]], mostly range in the top {{convert|100|m|ft|sp=us}} of the water column and penetrate the thermocline relatively infrequently, they are capable of diving to considerable depths. An individual tagged in the Indian Ocean with an archival tag spent 85% of its time in depths shallower than {{convert|75|m|ft|sp=us}} but was recorded as having made three dives to 578&nbsp;m, 982&nbsp;m and {{convert|1160|m|ft|sp=us}}.

==Behavior==
Although mainly found in deep offshore waters, yellowfin tuna may approach shore when suitable conditions exist. Mid-ocean islands such as the Hawaiian archipelago, other island groups in the Western Pacific, [[Caribbean]] and  Maldives islands [[Indian Ocean]], as well as the [[volcano|volcanic islands]] of the Atlantic such as [[Ascension Island]] often harbor yellowfin feeding on the [[baitfish]] these spots concentrate close to the shoreline.  Yellowfin may venture well inshore of the [[continental shelf]] when water temperature and clarity are suitable and food is abundant.

Yellowfin tuna often travel in schools with similarly sized companions. They sometimes school with other tuna species and mixed schools of small yellowfin and [[skipjack tuna]], in particular, are commonplace. They are often associated with various species of [[dolphin]]s or [[porpoise]]s, as well as with larger marine creatures such as [[whale]]s and [[whale shark]]s. They also associate with drifting flotsam such as logs and pallets, and [[sonic tag]]ging indicates that some follow moving vessels. Hawaiian yellowfin associate with anchored [[fish aggregation device]]s (FADs) and with certain sections of the 50-fathom curve.

==Diet and predation==
Yellowfin tuna prey include other fish, pelagic [[crustacean]]s, and [[squid]]. Like all tunas their body shape is evolved for speed, enabling them to pursue and capture fast-moving baitfish such as [[flying fish]], [[sauries]], and [[mackerel]]. Schooling species such as [[myctophid]]s or [[lanternfish]] and similar pelagic driftfish, [[anchovy|anchovies]] and [[sardine]]s are frequently taken. Large yellowfin prey on smaller members of the tuna family such as [[frigate mackerel]] and [[skipjack tuna]].

In turn, yellowfin are preyed upon when young by other pelagic hunters, including larger tuna, seabirds, and predatory fishes such as [[wahoo]], shark, and [[billfish]]. Adults are threatened only by the largest and fastest hunters, such as [[toothed whale]]s, particularly the [[false killer whale]], pelagic sharks such as the [[Isurus|mako]] and [[great white shark|great white]], large [[Atlantic blue marlin]] and [[Indo-Pacific blue marlin|Pacific blue marlin]], and [[black marlin]]. The main source of mortality, however, is industrial tuna fisheries.

Yellowfin are able to escape most of predators, because unlike most fish, tuna are [[warm-blooded]], and their warm muscles make them incredibly strong swimmers, with yellowfin tuna reaching "speeds of up to 50 miles per hour". (They can navigate enormous distances, sometimes crossing entire oceans.)<ref name=shannon>{{cite news|last=Service|first=Shannon|title=The Saudi Arabia of Sashimi|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/04/tuna_protection_and_piracy_pna_changed_the_rules_of_the_high_seas.single.html|newspaper=Slate|date=2 April 2013}}</ref>

==The commercial fishery==
[[File:Thunn albac 100708-5564 plrtu.JPG|thumb|Yellowfin tuna loaded onto a truck for transportation in Palabuhanratu, [[West Java]]]]
Modern commercial fisheries catch yellowfin tuna with [[encircling net]]s (purse seines), and by industrial [[Longline fishing|longlines]]. In 2010, 558,761 metric tons of yellowfish tuna were caught in the western and central pacific ocean.<ref name=shannon />

===Rod and line===
Formerly, much of the commercial catch was made by [[pole and line]] fishing, using live bait such as anchovy to attract schools of tuna close to the fishing vessel that were then taken with baited jigs on sturdy [[bamboo]] or [[fiberglass]] poles or on handlines. This fishery, which targeted skipjack and occasionally albacore, as well as yellowfin, for canning, reached its heyday between World War&nbsp;I and the 1950s before declining. The most well-known fleet of pole and line boats sailed from [[San Diego]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/91summer/tuna.htm |title=Pole Fishing for Tuna, 1937-1941 &#124; San Diego History Center |publisher=Sandiegohistory.org |date= |accessdate=2012-03-22}}</ref> in [[California]] and exploited abundant stocks in Mexican waters, as well as further south to [[Panama]], [[Costa Rica]] and the [[Galapagos Islands]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt467n99z2&doc.view=frames&chunk.id=d0e273&toc.depth=1&toc.id=&brand=calisphere |title=The High Seas Tuna Fishery of California1 |publisher=Content.cdlib.org |date= |accessdate=2012-03-22}}</ref>

Pole and line fishing is still carried out today in the [[Maldives]], [[Ghana]], [[Canary Islands]], [[Madeira]], and the [[Azores]]. Few pole and line boats now specifically target yellowfin, an incidental take compared to the total commercial catch. In the Maldives the catch is a mix of skipjack tuna and small yellowfin that often associate with them.

===Purse seining===
[[Purse seine|Purse seining]] largely took over commercial tuna fisheries in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, purse seines account for more of the commercial catch than any other method. The purse seine fishery primarily operates in the [[Pacific Ocean]], in the historic tuna grounds of the San Diego tuna fleet in the eastern Pacific, and in the islands of the western Pacific, where many U.S. tuna canneries relocated in the 1980s; but significant purse-seine catches are also made in the [[Indian Ocean]] and in the tropical [[Atlantic Ocean]], especially in the [[Gulf of Guinea]] by French and Spanish vessels.

Purse seine vessels locate tuna via onboard lookouts, as was done in the pole and line fishery, but they also employ sophisticated onboard electronics, sea-surface temperature and other satellite data, and from helicopters overhead. Once a school is located, the net is set around it. A single set may yield {{convert|100|t}}. Modern tuna seiners have a capacity of up to {{convert|2000|MT}} reach speeds of over {{convert|17|knot}} and carry multiple spotting helicopters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cfsb.com.tw/h025e.html |title=2200T Super Tuna Purse Seiners |publisher=Cfsb.com.tw |date= |accessdate=2012-03-22}}</ref>

Purse seining for yellowfin tuna became highly controversial in the late 1970s when it became apparent that the eastern Pacific fishery was killing many [[spinner dolphin]], [[pantropical spotted dolphin]] and other [[cetacea]]ns (often called "[[porpoise]]" by the tuna fleet) that accompany the fish. This association has been long-recognized by commercial tuna fishermen.

====Dolphin Friendly labeling====
Since the introduction of "[[dolphin-friendly]]" labeling, an increasing number of purse seine sets are now made on "free schools" unassociated with dolphins, as well as schools that associate with floating objects&mdash;another long-understood association that has grown in importance in tuna fisheries. The latter practice in particular has a major ecological impact because of the high proportion of [[bycatch]], including [[manta rays]], [[sea turtles]], pelagic [[sharks]], [[billfish]], and other threatened marine species taken by setting nets around logs and other floating objects. Such tuna are often significantly smaller than the larger adult tuna associated with dolphins. The removal of huge numbers of juvenile yellowfin and bigeye tuna that have yet to reach breeding age has major potential consequences for tuna stocks worldwide.

===Longline===
Most of the commercial catch is canned, but the [[sashimi]] marketplace adds significant demand for high-quality fish. This market is primarily supplied by industrial tuna longline vessels.

Industrial longlining was primarily perfected by Japanese fishermen who expanded into new grounds in the Western Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Longlining has since been adopted by other fishermen, most notably [[South Korea]], [[Taiwan]], and the [[United States]].

Tuna longlining targets larger sashimi-grade fish of around {{convert|25|kg|lb}} and up that swim deeper in the water column. In tropical and warm temperate areas, the more valuable bigeye is often the main target, but significant effort is also directed towards larger yellowfin. Longlining seeks areas of higher ocean productivity indicated by temperature and [[chlorophyll]] fronts formed by upwellings, ocean current eddies and major [[bathymetry|bathymetric]] features. [[Satellite imaging]] technology is the primary tool for locating these dynamic and constantly changing ocean areas.

Bycatch is a major environmental issue in the longline fishery, especially impacting  [[billfish]], [[sea turtles]], pelagic [[sharks]], and [[seabird]]s.

===Artisanal fisheries===
Besides the large-scale industrial purse seine and longline fisheries, yellowfin tuna also support smaller-scale artisanal fisheries that have often supplied local domestic markets for generations.  Artisanal fisheries now also often fish for the lucrative sashimi market in many locations where international air shipment is possible.

Artisanal fishermen tend to employ assorted hook and line gear such as trolling lines, surface, and deep handlines and longlines.

By far the largest fishery using artisanal methods exists in Philippine and Indonesian waters where thousands of fishermen target yellowfin tuna around [[fish aggregation device]]s or ''payaos'', although this fishery far exceeds the artisanal scale in terms of tonnage caught and the numbers of participants involved and should more properly be considered a commercial handline fishery. [[General Santos City]] is the most important Philippine port for the landing and transhipment of catches. Catches that qualify as sashimi-grade are mostly shipped to the Japanese sashimi market; those that do not meet the grade are sold locally or canned. Elsewhere in the Pacific, small boat fishers in [[Hawaii]], [[Tahiti]], and other Pacific islands supply local and in some cases foreign markets with fresh yellowfin.

Handline-caught yellowfin tuna is one of the few exports of the economy of [[St.&nbsp;Helena]].

==Sport fishing==
Yellowfin tuna are a popular [[sport fish]] in many parts of their range and are prized for their speed and strength when fought on rod and reel. Many anglers believe that large yellowfin are, pound for pound, the fastest and strongest of all big game tunas: renowned American author S.&nbsp;Kip Farrington, who fished the classic giant [[bluefin tuna]] fisheries of [[Bimini]] and [[Cat Cay]] in the [[Bahamas]] as well as [[Wedgeport]] in [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]], in their heyday, rated the yellowfin tuna of Hawaii as equal to a bluefin "twice his weight". Sport fishermen also prize the yellowfin tuna for its culinary qualities.

Yellowfin tuna probably first came to the attention of sports fishermen when they appeared on the tuna grounds of [[Santa Catalina Island, California|Catalina Island]], [[California]], only a few years after pioneering fishermen invented the sport, targeting the [[Pacific bluefin tuna]]. These tuna were of the same species caught by commercial fishermen in Japan and the western Pacific, but the reason for their appearance was not known at the time. Later it was discovered that warmer water species such as yellowfin tuna, [[mahi-mahi|dorado]] and [[striped marlin]] enter southern California waters in seasons having favorable ocean conditions, particularly during the [[El Niño]] phenomenon, which brings warmer water up North America's  western coast.

Yellowfin tuna were subsequently discovered by sport fishermen in [[Bermuda]], the [[Bahamas]], [[Hawaii]], and many other parts of their range. Larger adult fish which had developed distinctively long sickle fins were initially thought to be a different species and were known as ''Allison tuna'' (a name first given by the then curator of the Bermuda Aquarium, Louis Mowbray, in 1920). Such destinations as Hawaii and Bermuda became famed for their catches of these beautiful fish. In Hawaii, various styles of feather lures served as bait, but in Bermuda, [[chumming]] techniques from boats anchored on productive banks were evolved to target not only Allison tuna but also wahoo and the smaller [[blackfin tuna]]. Bermudian experts developed techniques to take all these fish on light [[Fishing tackle|tackle]] and for many years the [[International Game Fish Association]] records for yellowfin tuna were dominated by entries from Bermuda in the lighter line classes, with fish in the {{convert|200|lb|kg}} and larger class from Hawaii taking most of the heavier line class records.

Today, yellowfin tuna are a major sport fish pursued by sports fishermen in many parts of the world. Thousands of anglers fish for yellowfin tuna along the eastern seaboard of the United States, particularly in [[North Carolina]] and [[New England]]. Yellowfin are also a popular gamefish amongst anglers fishing from US Gulf Coast ports and also from [[San Diego]] and other ports of southern [[California]]. Larger "long range" boats in the San Diego fleet also fish in Mexican waters, searching for yellowfin tuna in many of the grounds that the San Diego pole and line tuna clippers used to fish. The yellowfin tuna is also a highly prized catch in the offshore sport fisheries of [[South Africa]], [[Australia]], and [[New Zealand]]. Sport fishing for yellowfin tuna exists on a smaller scale in many other parts of the world.

==Cuisine==
According to the Hawaii Seafood Buyers Guide, yellowfin tuna is widely used in raw fish dishes, especially [[sashimi]]. This fish is also excellent for grilling.<ref name=hsbg>[http://www.hawaii-seafood.org/yellowfin.html?ref=Hawaii ]{{dead link|date=March 2012}}</ref> Yellowfin is often served seared rare.

Yellowfin buyers recognize two grades, "sashimi grade" and "other", although there are variations in the quality of "other" grades.

Different [[Sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification#Guides and advisory lists|seafood sustainability guides]] come to different conclusions about whether yellowfin fishing is sustainable. The Audubon's Seafood Guide (a guide for what types of marine food products are not eco-friendly) lists troll-caught tuna as "OK", but labels long-line caught as "Be Careful".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spc.int/Coastfish/Asides/papers/Audubon.htm |title=Buy Project 2010 Professional &#124;&#124; DISCOUNT COUPONS FOR YOU |publisher=Spc.int |date=2011-12-02 |accessdate=2012-03-22}}</ref>

Yellowfin is becoming a popular replacement for the severely depleted supplies of [[southern bluefin tuna]].

In 2010, [[Greenpeace International]] added the yellowfin tuna to its seafood red list. The Greenpeace International seafood red list is a "list of fish that are commonly sold in supermarkets around the world, and which have a very high risk of being sourced from unsustainable fisheries".<ref>{{cite web|author=Background - August 15, 2008 |url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/oceans/seafood/red-list-of-species/#a3 |title=Greenpeace International Seafood Red list |publisher=Greenpeace.org |date=2008-08-15 |accessdate=2013-06-19}}</ref>
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<gallery widths=180>
File:Yellowfin tuna fishing boat.jpg|{{center|Fishing boat sets out to catch yellowfin tuna}}
File:Filleting yellowfin tuna.jpg|{{center|Fisherman [[Fish fillet|filleting]] his catch}}
File:Pansearedtuna.jpg|{{center|Pan-seared yellowfin}}
File:Yellowfin tuna for lunch.jpg|{{center|Lunch}}
</gallery>

==Notes==
{{Cleanup-bare URLs|date=March 2012}}
{{reflist|33em}}

==Other references==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=Collete, B.|year=2011|id=21857|title=Thunnus albacares|downloaded=22 November 2011}} Listed as Near Threatened (v3.1).
* {{FishBase species| genus = Thunnus | species = albacares | month = April | year = 2008}}
* [http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/tuna/species_pages/atl_yellowfin_tuna.htm Atlantic yellowfin tuna] ''NOAA FishWatch''. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
* [http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/tuna/species_pages/pacific_yellowfin_tuna.htm Pacific yellowfin tuna] ''NOAA FishWatch''. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* The Journal of San Diego History Summer 1991, Volume 37, Number 3: [https://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/91summer/tuna.htm 'Pole Fishing for Tuna, 1937-1941: An Interview with Edward S. Soltesz']

[[Category:Thunnus]]
[[Category:Commercial fish]]
[[Category:Hawaiian cuisine]]
[[Category:Sport fish]]
[[Category:Fish of Hawaii]]
[[Category:Seafood red list]]
[[Category:Animals described in 1788]]

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