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Bluefin tuna

Quality mark Cultivation
/Keurmerk Wild
Green
Second choice
Avoid
Welzijn
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General

Mackerel-like fish

Mackerel-like (Scrombodei) from a subspecies of the Perciformes, the biggest order of fish. Mackerel (Atlantic-, horse mackerel etc), tuna, swordfish and barracudas all fall among the mackerel-like fish. Globally it is a very popular fish and forms an important source of food and income for many people. Mackerel are pelagic fish that live in large schools. While swimming in large schools, mackerel-like fish confuse their predators with the silver-like brilliance from their scales. Island mackerel is the smallest with 2o cm, the largest is the bluefin tuna that can reach a size of over 5 meters.

Bluefin tuna

The bluefin tuna is the largest and most commercially valuable species of tuna. There are three species of bluefin tuna; the Southern, the Pacific and the Atlantic. They can reach sizes of up to 2.5 m and weigh as much as 6800 kilograms. Like other species of tuna, bluefin tuna can often be found in large groups and often with other species of tuna of similar sizes.

 

Bluefin tuna

Thunnus thynnus
Origin

Mediterranean (FAO 37)
Deelgebieden: Atlantic Ocean

Farming- / Catch method

Demersal longlines, Handlines and pole lines (mechanised), Handlines and pole-lines (hand operated)

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Explanation assessment

The first Atlantic bluefin fishery was certified in 2020. Hooks and lines, longlines, mechanized handlines and poles-lines are used to catch this tuna species.

Atlantic bluefin tuna can be found in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, from Brazil to the North of Norway. It lives between the surface of water up to a depth of 500 to 1000 meters, and migrates from cold waters, where feeding occurs, to warmer regions, where breeding occurs.

Good Fish does not recommend this species as there is a lack of knowledge on the state of the stock, and certification of these fisheries can prevent the full recovery of the stock in the future.

Bluefin tuna

Thunnus thynnus
Origin

Worldwide
Deelgebieden: Worldwide

Farming- / Catch method

Demersal longlines, Handlines and pole lines (mechanised), Handlines and pole-lines (hand operated), Net pens/ Cages

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Fish stocks and fishing pressure
Ecosystem effects
Fishery management
Final assessment
Explanation assessment

Bluefin tuna are slow growers and are on the red list of the IUCN of endangered species. Bluefin tuna are almost everywhere heavily overfished due to their high market value: it is one of the most expensive commercial species.

Sadly, the bluefin tuna are not only endangered by the fishing of older animals, for years now also the young tunas are fished and raised in cages. This rearing of bluefin tuna is very profitable, but the deterioration of the stock is not the only problem, bluefin tuna also needs more than 10 to 15 kilo fish to grow 1 kilo.

For this reason, we do not recommend wildcatch and farmed bluefintuna for consumption.

ASC label

Fish with the ASC label is farmed in a sustainable manner.

MSC label

Fish with the MSC label is caught sustainably.

Good fish

This fish is not being overfished or is being responsibly farmed, with minimal impact on the environment.

Second choice

This fish is a second choice. There are still some improvements to be made in this fishery or fish farm.

Avoid

Do not buy this fish. It's being overfished or the way it's farmed or caught has a negative impact on the environment.

Welfare

There is fish available of this species that is farmed or caught using high welfare standards.

GlobalG.A.P.

GlobalG.A.P. certified farms are doing a step in the right direction in terms of sustainability. A few species with this label are getting a better score on the VISwijzer.

Organic

Organic standards are the strictest when it comes to fish feed. They also require certain measures for animal well-being.