The Largest Tuna Species is the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
The Atlantic bluefin tuna is the largest tuna species in the world. There are fifteen species of tuna in the Scombridae family (which includes tuna and mackerel). The largest species in this family is the Atlantic bluefin tuna. They are metallic looking in colors of dark blue and black and have a long powerful body. These ocean dwelling fish vary greatly in size but are known for their impressive speed in the water. Their streamlined bodies can reach up to 43 mph which is pretty impressive for a fish that can grow up to 15 feet! Atlantic bluefin are also called northern bluefin or giant bluefin and live in the western Atlantic Ocean from Newfoundland down to the Gulf of Mexico. They are migratory and can cover great distances during a migration.
How much does a 15ft Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Weigh?
Atlantic Bluefin can weigh as much as 1500lbs (more on this below)! That means the tuna is about as heavy as a cow! The 15ft, 1500 lbs tuna are at the large end of the scale with most Atlantic Bluefin being closer to 500-1000 lbs.
How big was the largest bluefin tuna ever caught?
The largest bluefin ever caught weighed an incredible 1,496 lbs! You may have heard of the reality TV show called Wicked Tuna that follows a group of tuna fishermen from Massachusetts. There have been at least 10 seasons and during all those years the biggest tuna ever caught by anyone on the show was a 1,250lb bluefin off the coast of Cape Cod. It was nearly 10 ½ feet and was caught by TJ Ott. BUT this was not the largest tuna ever caught! There is a long standing, almost 40 year record held by Ken Fraser who caught the largest bluefin tuna ever recorded back in 1979. The Bluefin he caught weighed 1,496lbs! Ken Fraser and Captain Eric Samson were fishing off the coast of Nova Scotia and it only took them 45 minutes to reel it in close enough to spear it with a gaff. Some tuna weighing more than 1,000lbs have been recorded since this mighty catch but none have topped the 1,496lb record.
How do you catch a 1,500lb tuna?
The most common fishing method for U.S. fishermen is the rod and reel where they fish for one tuna at a time. They will use bait to attract the tuna and then with short lines and hooks try to catch one and reel it in close to the boat where they can gaff or harpoon it before pulling it into the boat. Isn’t it amazing that the biggest tuna ever caught was with a rod and reel?
What are other ways to catch tuna?
Tuna like to swim in schools so fishermen may come across large groups of tuna at a time. Fishermen used to pull large nets behind their boats and snag whatever was in the water, pull the nets up and keep the large tuna and throw the rest of the catch (bycatch) back in the water. However this resulted in a large number of dolphins being injured and killed. Dolphins often swim above schools of yellowfin tuna and fishermen would use these dolphin sightings to locate the tuna. There were marine life protection guidelines in place but it wasn’t until a biologist, Sam LaBudde, went undercover and videotaped the netting practices showing dolphins being captured, and he released the videos to the public, did change really occur. People were outraged by what they saw and demanded change. This was the beginning of the “Dolphin-Safe” labels for tuna that were regulated by the Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act in 1990.
Fun Facts about Tuna
The albacore tuna has the largest pectoral fins. The pectoral fins are the fins on the side of a fish that are right behind their head. Fish and tuna alike use these fins to help control their direction in the water. Albacore tuna can grow to be 7 feet long and their pectoral fins can be 30% of their total length! Albacore tuna are frequently used to make canned tuna, sometimes labeled as “solid white albacore” tuna. The bigeye tuna has the largest eyes. I guess their name kind of gives it away, but the bigeye tuna does have big eyes! Bigeye tunas can grow to be 5 ½ feet long. Although there is not a world record for the largest bigeye “eye” they do have the largest eyes of all of the tuna. Take a look at a picture of a proud fisherman holding their catch to see just how big their eyes are! The blackfin tuna is the smallest tuna in the Thunnus family. Compared to a 1000lb Bluefin, these tuna are tiny, but they can still reach 3 feet long and weigh 45lbs or more. They are easily distinguished by a long black strip on their topside. Blackfin tuna is used to make sushi and can be eaten raw, but it is also used as bait to catch larger tuna. Are sardines just tiny tuna? No, sardines are a fish in a different family. They belong to the Clupeidae family along with herrings and shads. Sardines only get to be 6-12 inches and typically weigh 3ounces to 7lbs. The largest sardine ever caught was from India and was 272 mm and weighed 159g. That is not quite a foot and .35lbs, makes for quite a less impressive photo-op.
