(2008). Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the worlds most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. The second fin on their back (dorsal fin) is reddish brown, and they have short pectoral fins. Endangered Species Act.[30]. The western and eastern populations are thought to mature at different ages. and otolith microchemistry studies, indicate that three or more populations of Atlantic bluefin tuna exist. According to OECD statistics, 35 thousand tons have been produced in 2018 with Japan accounting for about 50% of it, followed by Australia, Mexico, Spain and Turkey with smaller amounts. Thanks to 4 decades of overfishing, it has been driven to just 3% of its 1960 or pre-longlining abundance - a decline of 97% - as shown in the figure at left. [33], In the summer of 2011, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society led a campaign against supposedly illegal bluefin tuna fishing off the coast of Libya, which was under Muammar Gaddafi's regime at the time. Ranches across the Mediterranean and off South Australia grow bluefins offshore. An Atlantic bluefin starts out no bigger than an eyelash and grows to several hundred pounds and more than 6 feet in length in less than a decade. [14] The longest contest between man and tuna fish occurred near Liverpool, Nova Scotia in 1934, when six men taking turns fought a 164363 kilograms (361800lb) tuna for 62 hours. Their scientists now say that 7500 tonnes are the sustainable limit. [32], In 2010, Greenpeace International added the northern bluefin tuna to its seafood red list. This, roughly 13 feet long behemoth, was caught by Canadian Ken Fraser off the coast of Nova Scotia, which is a region in Eastern Canada, just north of Maine. This allows them to seek food in the rich but chilly waters of the North Atlantic.[11]. In fact, in 2001 one 202 kilogram bluefin tuna caught off the northern coast of Oma, Japan sold at the Tsukiji market for 862 USD/kg (Shamshak et This paper is a case study of the Atlantic bluefin tuna to determine what conservation measures can be used to save the species. Japanese did not value bluefin before the 1960s. Population declines have been largely driven by the demand for this fish in Their other important spawning ground is the Gulf of Mexico. [citation needed] The fish's migratory habits complicate the task of regulating the fishery, because they spend time in the national waters of multiple countries, as well as the open ocean outside of any national jurisdiction. Atlantic bluefin tuna: population dynamics, ecology, fisheries and management. Atlantic bluefin tuna When it comes to both the western and north-eastern Atlantic bluefin stocks, the remaining population consists of 18% of the biomass of the untouched stocks that were observed in 1950, and 45% of the biomass in 1974. Their numbers, however, have greatly decreased in recent years due to their high demand. The good news is that the populations have recovered somewhat since about 2009. Signs that the bluefin population was growing healthier led the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to increase fishing quotas in 2017. [11] The technology involves implanting gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the fish to stimulate fertile egg production and may push the fish to reach sexual maturity at younger ages. The atmosphere in the new tuna-rearing facility in the small coastal town of Mazzaron, in southeastern Spain, is dead calm. [6], In 2011, the USA's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) decided not to list the Atlantic bluefin tuna as an endangered species. Despite the longstanding uncertainty in estimating future recruitment, catch levels have been set at a level that is expected to support the maximum sustainable yield. Joseph E Powers. [citation needed] The bluefin's slow growth and late sexual maturity compound its problems. Ranching enables ranchers to exploit the unpredictable supply of wild-caught fish. International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T21860A9331546.en, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21860/97778482, "Endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna formally recommended for international trade ban", "U.N. Rejects Export Ban on Atlantic Bluefin Tuna", "Migratory Movements, Depth Preferences, and Thermal Biology of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna", "Global Sushi: The Political Economy of the Mediterranian Bluefin Tuna Fishery in the Modern Era", "Bluefin tuna probably OK after BP oil spill, fed agency says", "Bluefin tuna ban proposal meets rejection", "Sorry, Charlie! The 2011 status review report conducted on a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD, Waterproof booklet to help commercial, for-hire, and recreational fishermen and fish dealers/buyers, Tuna, Bluefin tuna, Toro, Maguro, Giant bluefin, Northern bluefin tuna, New England/Mid-Atlantic, Now, bluefin tuna populations are in decline. [21], According to Longo, "by the turn of the first millennium CE, a sophisticated bluefin tuna trap fishery [had] emerged. According to ICCAT studies, between 1957 and 2007 in the eastern and western Atlantic, bluefin populations dropped 74 percent and 82 percent respectively. [34], In November 2011, food critic Eric Asimov of The New York Times criticized the top-ranked New York City restaurant Sushi Yasuda for offering bluefin tuna on their menu, arguing that drawing from such a threatened fishery constituted an unjustifiable risk to bluefins, and to the future of culinary traditions that depend on the species. Newlands, Nathaniel K.; Porcelli, Tracy A. It is variously known as the northern bluefin tuna (mainly when including Pacific bluefin as a subspecies), giant bluefin tuna [for individuals exceeding 150kg (330lb)], and formerly as the tunny. With declining populations only accelerating the process of extinction, Atlantic bluefin tuna are a species at significantly high risk. In 1996, the IUCN listed the Atlantic bluefin tuna as endangered: the population was down by 85%. Michiyo Murata[11]. Because the tuna are taken from the wild to the pens before they are old enough to reproduce, ranching is one of the most serious threats to the species. Bluefin tuna populations have declined severely from overfishing and illegal fishing over the past few decades not just Atlantic bluefin tuna, but also Pacific bluefin tuna and Southern bluefin tuna. Atlantic bluefins group together in large concentrations to spawn, and at such times are highly vulnerable to commercial fishing. U.S. wild-caught western Atlantic bluefin tuna is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed under a rebuilding plan that allows limited harvest by U.S. fishermen. The species can live up to 35 years, doesnt reach sexual maturity until age 10, reproduces in discrete spawning locations and fetches exceptionally high market pricesall of which make it very susceptible to commercial overexploitation. As of 2010, 30 million tons of small forage fish were removed from the oceans yearly, the majority to feed farmed fish.[11]. Females can produce up to 10 million eggs a year. This has led to a significant decrease in their populations, putting them at dangerously low levels. In early 2010, European officials, led by the French ecology minister, increased pressure to ban the commercial fishing of bluefin tuna internationally. The Bluefin Tuna is a goldmine for fishing companies selling to the sushi industry. [22] As the tapeworm's definite host is the blue shark, which does not generally seem to feed on tuna,[citation needed] the Atlantic bluefin tuna likely is a dead-end host for P. speciosum. Atlantic bluefin tuna spawn in two widely separated areas. Besides their commercial value as food, the great size, speed, and power they display as apex predators has attracted the admiration of fishermen, writers, and scientists. Although some local stocks, such as those in the North Sea, were damaged by unrestricted commercial fishing, other populations were not at risk. Specifically, these animals are caught and used for sushi or canned tuna. This trap fishery, called tonnara in Italian, madrague in French, almadraba in Spanish, and armao in Portuguese, forms an elaborate maze of nets that capture and corral bluefin tuna during their spawning season. They are the largest of the tuna species and can reach up to 13 feet and 2,000 pounds. 2009; Secor et al. The Atlantic bluefin was the biggest and the favorite. Recreationally, bluefins have been one of the most important big-game species sought by sports fishermen since the 1930s, particularly in the United States, but also in Canada, Spain, France, and Italy. [6], On 18 March 2010, the United Nations rejected a U.S.-backed effort to impose a total ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing and trading. ], In 2007, researchers from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) the regulators of Atlantic bluefin fishingrecommended a global quota of 15,000 tonnes to maintain current stocks or 10,000 tonnes to allow the fisheries recovery. (link to brochure)For Atlantic bluefin tuna fisheries, mixed stock fisheries are well documented for the US shelf waters where two populations - originating either in the Gulf of Mexico or Mediterranean - contribute equivalent numbers (Rooker et al. [35], The bluefin species are listed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium on its Seafood Watch list and pocket guides as fish to avoid due to overfishing. Fishing gear used by U.S. fishermen to target schools of bluefin tuna is fairly selective, and allows for the live release of any unintentionally caught species. At-sea freezing technology then allowed them to bring frozen sushi-ready tuna from the farthest oceans to market after as long as a year. Fully mature adult specimens average 22.5m (6.68.2ft) long and weigh around 225250kg (496551lb). However, in the 1960s, purse seiners catching fish for the canned tuna market in United States coastal waters removed huge numbers of juvenile and young Western Atlantic bluefins, taking out several entire-year classes. [8] This name occasionally gives rise to some confusion, as the longtail tuna (T. tonggol) can in Australia sometimes be known under the name "northern bluefin tuna". The Atlantic population has declined by nearly 90% since the 1970s. For the western stock, the TAC of 2,000 mt annually for 2015 and 2016 will provide for continued growth in spawning stock biomass and allow the strong 2003 year-class to continue to enhance the productivity of the stock. In the 1970s, Japanese manufacturers developed lightweight, high-strength polymers that were spun into drift net. [13][16] Atlantic bluefin tuna reach maturity relatively quickly. In other tunas with short pectoral fins, such vessels are either not present or present in small numbers along the edges. In 2010, the Center for Biological Diversity requested that Altantic bluefin tuna be listed as an endangered species. Bluefin tuna is the most valuable fish species in the world. [37][38] Prices were highest in the late 1970s and 1980s. Federal management for Atlantic tunas applies to state waters as well, except in Maine, Connecticut, and Mississippi. Atlantic bluefin tuna have large, torpedo-shaped bodies that are nearly circular in cross-section. Nearing Extinction - The species in the greatest danger of slipping into extinction is the western North Atlantic population (stock) of bluefin tuna. Western Atlantic bluefin tuna populations have been severely depleted since the 1960s. For example, an Atlantic bluefin caught off eastern United States sold for US$247,000 at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo in 2008. [5] Member states of the European Union, which are collectively responsible for most bluefin tuna overfishing, later abstained from voting in a UN proposal to protect the species from international trade.[6]. Fishing gear used to catch bluefin tuna rarely contacts the ocean floor and has minimal impact on habitat. Since 2005, a slight but steady annual increase of biomass has been reported. [27][needs update? At that time, these fish were nicknamed shibi "four days" because chefs would bury them for four days to mellow their bloody taste. Behind the Scenes of the Most Consumed Seafood, Altlantic Highly Migratory Species Angling by the Numbers, Measuring Atlantic Bluefin Tuna With a Drone, New Requirements Protect Bluefin Tuna, Expand Opportunities in Other Fisheries, Atlantic Red Drum Fishery Harvest or Possession Prohibition Area, Three-Year Review of the Individual Bluefin Quota Program, Endangered Species Act Status Review of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus), A Guide to Tunas of the Western Atlantic Ocean, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, Report a Stranded or Injured Marine Animal, Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Management Division, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan, Dolphin-Safe Tuna Tracking and Verification Program, The 2017 stock assessment indicated that the western Atlantic bluefin tuna stock is not subject to overfishing, but the overfished status is unknown. Bluefin aquaculture, which arose in response to declining wild stocks, has yet to achieve a sustainability, in part because it predominantly relies on harvesting and ranching juveniles rather than captive breeding. Newlands, Nathaniel K.; Lutcavage, Molly E. & Pitcher, Tony J. The Atlantic bluefin is endangered. NOAA agreed to reconsider the species' endangered status in 2013. Throughout recorded history, the Atlantic bluefin tuna has been highly prized as a food fish. They expanded their fishing range and perfected industrial long-line fishing, a practice that employs thousands of baited hooks on miles-long lines. ICCAT then chose a quota of 36,000 tonnes, but surveys indicated that up to 60,000 tonnes were actually being taken (a third of the total remaining stocks) and the limit was reduced to 22,500 tonnes. The Commission adopted new management measures that are within the range of scientific advice, are consistent with the respective rebuilding plans, and allow for continued stock growth. These characteristics separate this species from other members of the tuna genus. [37] Bluefin tuna sashimi is a particular delicacy in Japan. [4] On 16 October 2009, Monaco formally recommended endangered Atlantic bluefin tuna for an Appendix I CITES listing and international trade ban. The Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the largest, fastest, and most gorgeously colored of all the worlds fishes. Atlantic bluefin tuna have been recorded at up to 680kg (1,500lb) in weight, and rival the black marlin, blue marlin, and swordfish as the largest Perciformes. By the late 1960s, sportfishing for giant bluefin tuna was burgeoning off Nova Scotia, New England, and Long Island. Atlantic bluefin tuna populations have collapsed 75% and are in danger of extinction. The Atlantic bluefin tuna was one of the many fish species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae, where it was given the binomial name Scomber thynnus.[7]. About 100 young Atlantic bluefin tuna "[23], After World War II, Japanese fishermen needed more tuna to eat and to export for European and U.S. canning industries. Female bluefins are thought to produce up to 30 million eggs. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT MEASURES Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus | Facts About Animals The quota will rise only slightly, from 12,900 metric tons a year to 13,500. [26], However, since bluefins require so much food per unit of weight gained - up to 10 times that of salmon - if bluefins were to be farmed at the same scale as 21st-century salmon farming, many of their prey species might become depleted if farmed bluefin were fed the same diet as their wild counterparts. [17] However, very large specimens may be up to 50 years old. The leading opponent, Japan, claimed that ICCAT was the proper regulatory body. [18] It also has a very efficient circulatory system. Regulations do not allow targeted fishing of bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, an important spawning area for the species. It has to be. This trap fishery, called tonnara in Italian, madrague in French, almadraba in Spanish, and armao in Portuguese, forms an elaborate maze of nets that capture and corral bluefin tuna during their spawning season. The appreciation rebounded across the Pacific when Americans started to eat raw fish in the late 1970s. Mediterranean fisheries have historically been poorly regulated and catches under-reported, with French, Spanish, and Italian fishermen competing with North African nations for a diminishing population. Medium-sized and large individuals are heavily targeted for the Japanese raw-fish market, where all bluefin species are highly prized for sushi and sashimi. Southeast, This dataset depicts the boundaries of the Atlantic Red Drum Fishery, Stay informed of all the latest regional news around NOAA Fisheries. Global appetite for fish is the predominant threat to Atlantic bluefin. Atlantic Bluefin tuna is divided into two main populations, one in the Eastern and another one in the Western Atlantic. Bluefin tuna were often referred to as the common tunny, especially in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Heat in the venous blood is efficiently transferred to the cool, oxygenated arterial blood entering a rete mirabile. Atlantic bluefin tuna populations are in steep decline, and an improved understanding of connectivity between individuals from eastern (Mediterranean Sea) and western (Gulf of Mexico) spawning areas is needed to manage remaining fisheries. This paper is a case study of the Atlantic bluefin tuna to determine what conservation measures can be used to save the species. In fact, this type of tuna is possibly the most valued fish in the sushi industry, which marks it at a high price. Despite some concern, assessments from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill estimated that the population loss would not be significant, ranging from 0.4 to 4.0% of juveniles, which is within the range of annual variations. Other species have seen a similar fate at the hands of Homo sapiens. In the western Atlantic, bluefin tuna are found from Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico. The long-term agreement would aid fish stocks that have fallen to just 2.6 percent of their historic size. In November 2012, 48 countries meeting in Morocco for the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas voted to keep strict fishing limits, saying the species' population is still fragile. They have dark blue-black on the back and white on the lower sides and belly. The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a species of tuna in the family Scombridae. Bluefin tuna grow more slowly than other tuna. A chef marinated a few pieces in soy sauce and served it as nigiri sushi. The biggest Atlantic bluefin tuna ever caught was a colossus of unbelievable 1,496 pounds! An evaluation of the effectiveness of the Individual Bluefin Quota Program. The fishermen retaliated against Sea Shepherd's intervention by throwing various, small metal pieces at the crew. [12][13] The largest recorded specimen taken under International Game Fish Association rules was caught off Nova Scotia, an area renowned for huge Atlantic bluefin, and weighed 679kg (1,497lb) and was 3.7m (12ft) long. Better Luck Next Time Getting Endangered Species Status", "Greenpeace International Seafood Red list". A Japanese entrepreneur realized he could buy New England and Canadian bluefins cheaply, and started filling Japan-bound holds with tuna. Atlantic bluefin tuna population is now at healthy levels, similar to those in the 1970s before overfishing. The population level is unknown for bluefin tuna in the western Atlantic. Credit: North Carolina Sea Grant/Vanda Lewis. [9][10] This is also true in New Zealand and Fiji. The eggs are fertilized in the water column and hatch in about 2 days. Astonishingly, we had to wait until 1998 to have catch quotas in place. Market entry by many North African Mediterranean countries, such as Tunisia and Libya in the 1990s, along with the increasingly widespread practice of tuna farming in the Mediterranean and other areas, such as southern Australia (for southern bluefin tuna), depressed prices. Bluefin Tuna: Ours or Theirs? Search for more papers by this author. For the best experience, please use a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Sharks, marine mammals (including killer whales and pilot whales), and large fish feed on bluefin tuna. The news comes at a time when Atlantic bluefin populations are also rebounding. [17], The bluefin possesses enormous muscular strength, which it channels through a pair of tendons to its lunate-shaped caudal fin for propulsion. "Collapse of Bluefin Tuna in the Western Atlantic". The Atlantic tuna population suffered a 60% decline between 1974 and 1990 due to overfishing and poor management of the fisheries. They have a long lifespan, up to 20 years or more and generally dont spawn until they are about 8 years old.. Chemical signatures in the otoliths of yearlings from regional nurseries were distinct and served as natural tags to assess natal homing and mixing. Their livers have a unique characteristic in that they are covered with blood vessels (striated). Canadian fishermen in St Mary's Bay captured young fish and raised them in pens. NOAA officials said that the more stringent international fishing rules created in November 2010 would be enough for the Atlantic bluefin tuna to recover. The head is conical and the mouth rather large. Population declines have been largely driven by the demand for this fish in high end sushi markets. Bluefins dive to depths of 1,006m (3,301ft). It is most closely related to the Pacific bluefin tuna (T. orientalis) and the southern bluefin tuna (T. maccoyii), and more distantly to the other large tunas of the genus Thunnus the bigeye tuna (T. obesus) and the yellowfin tuna (T. Nobody was injured due to the other side's actions during the conflict. This page was last edited on 6 February 2021, at 00:16. One spawning ground exists in the western Mediterranean, particularly in the area of the Balearic Islands. JeanMarc Fromentin. The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat, "Shoaling dynamics and abundance estimation: Atlantic bluefin tuna (, "Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in the Gulf of Maine, I: Estimation of Seasonal Abundance Accounting for Movement, School and School-Aggregation Behaviour", "Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Maine, II: precision of sampling designs in estimating seasonal abundance accounting for tuna behaviour", "Analysis of foraging movements of Atlantic bluefin tuna (, "Measurement of the size, shape and structure of Atlantic bluefin tuna schools in the open ocean", International Seafood Sustainability Foundation#Practices, Regional Fisheries Management Organisation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Atlantic_bluefin_tuna&oldid=1005100171, Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2007, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2010, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2008, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from April 2017, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Commercial and recreational fishermen must have a permit to harvest bluefin tuna. [citation needed] The bluefin tuna population in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea has increased in response to science-based management but is not yet fully recovered. Summary stock assessment information can be found on, For 2018-2020, the stock is being managed under an. [38] This high price is considerably less than the highest prices paid for Pacific bluefin. [11], Prior to the 1960s, Atlantic bluefin fisheries were relatively small scale, and populations remained stable. Genetic studies indicate that at least two populations spawn in the Mediterranean In the Gulf of Mexico, a smaller population spawns in the spring months (AprilJune). Originally managed as a single Atlantic wide stock, Atlantic bluefin tuna management changed beginning in the 1970s when stocks were split between tuna populations east and west of management division (45W meridian) under the assumption that the two In 2000, the United States established the. The Atlantic bluefin tuna has been the foundation of one of the world's most lucrative commercial fisheries. In November 2009, ICCAT set the 2010 quota at 13,500 tonnes and said that if stocks were not rebuilt by 2022, it would consider closing some areas. The tetraphyllidean tapeworm Pelichnibothrium speciosum parasitizes this species. In captivity, they grow to reach hundreds of kilos, eventually fetching premium prices in Japan. Atlantic Highly Migratory Species 2020 Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Landings Updates. 2011). Internet Explorer lacks support for the features of this website. The Atlantic bluefin tuna is a close relative of the other two bluefin tuna speciesthe Pacific bluefin tuna and the southern bluefin tuna. The Atlantic bluefin tuna is being harvested at an unsustainable level. Overfishing continues despite repeated warnings of the current precipitous decline. Bluefin tuna can be distinguished from other family members by the relatively short length of their pectoral fins. They have become extinct in the Black Sea. [19] While all members of the tuna family are warm-blooded, the ability to thermoregulate is more highly developed in bluefin tuna than in any other fish. [20][21] The Atlantic bluefin tuna typically hunts small fish such as sardines, herring, and mackerel, and invertebrates such as squid and crustaceans. [15] Both the Smithsonian Institution and the U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service has accepted that this species can weigh up to 910kg (2,010lb), though further details are lacking. In contrast to many other fish, the body stays rigid while the tail flicks back and forth, increasing stroke efficiency. This commercial importance has led to severe overfishing. According to Longo, "by the turn of the first millennium CE, a sophisticated bluefin tuna trap fishery [had] emerged. Atlantic bluefins are native to both the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Safina, C. (1993). Signs that the bluefin population was growing healthier led the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to increase fishing quotas in (April 2004). The TAC for the eastern Atlantic/Mediterranean stock was set at 16,142 t for 2015; 19,296 t for 2016; and 23,155 t for 2017. North Americans, too, had little appetite for bluefins, usually discarding them after taking a picture. albacares). It possesses one of the highest blood-hemoglobin concentrations among fish, which allows it to efficiently deliver oxygen to its tissues; this is combined with an exceptionally thin blood-water barrier to ensure rapid oxygen uptake. . [11], Originally, fish with red flesh were looked down on in Japan as a low-class food, and white fish were much preferred. The name "tuna", a derivative of the Spanish atn, was widely adopted in California in the early 1900s, and has since become accepted for all tunas, including the bluefin, throughout the English-speaking world. The story of Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of intrigue, filled with international drama, mafia connections, and plot twists worthy of a movie. The Gulf of Mexico is the only known spawning area for the western stock of Atlantic bluefin tuna, and protecting these fish during spawning can help the long-term rebuilding of the depleted bluefin tuna population. About 80% of the caught Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tunas are consumed in Japan. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. Overfishing in the Mediterranean, where most eastern Atlantic bluefin are caught, combined with a low reproduction rate, contributes to the decline. [29] It was made a National Marine Fisheries Service species of concern, one of those species about which the U.S. government has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U.S. IFREMER, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Mditerranen et Tropical, BP 171, 34203 Ste Cedex, France. Safina, C. & Klinger, D. (2008). Their torpedo-shaped, streamlined bodies are built for speed and endurance. Bluefin tuna populations have declined severely from overfishing and illegal fishing over the past few decades not just Pacific bluefin tuna, but also Atlantic and Southern bluefin tuna.