Most of you might have seen Tuna on your plates and but only a few of you might know what they are really capable of. WWF quotes that
“If fish were like cars, then tuna are the Ferraris of the ocean, they are sleek, most powerful and they are built for speed”.Tunas are really amazing predators. They have varying sizes, ranging from 1.6 ft for the bullet tuna to a staggering 15 ft for the Atlantic Bluefin tuna. And they have a maximum lifespan of 50 years, but many end up in our plates before they even complete half of their life period. Tunas are among the fastest swimming oceanic fish and are capable of speeds up to 75 kmph.
Where are Tunas Found?
Tunas are migratory pelagic fish known to travel the entire Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Mediterranean seas during their lifetime. Their diet is to feed on other fish, pelagic crustaceans and squids. Ironically, they themselves are a part of the integral diet of millions of people around the world.
Tunas increasing demand has led to their overfishing. The majority of the tuna markets are made species such as skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye and albacore. Improvised tuna fishing methods are being employed in recent times and as a result annual tuna catches are soaring year after year. In recent times opening day auctions at various fish markets have seen record – setting prices for tuna, such as 3,603 USD per pound of Bluefin tuna in 2013. Such elevated prices are resulting in uncontrolled and illegal tuna fishing.
How are Tunas getting evicted?
Vast oceanic highways are being blocked by huge nets, vessels and fishing lines. Recent technological advancements have resulted in the development beacons that attract large pods of fish towards them and ease the process of fishing. These methods are not only having adverse effects on tuna populations, but also on other oceanic creatures such as dolphins, marlins, sharks and turtles along with whom the tuna pods reside and hunt. The effects are so adverse that 4 of the 8 main tuna species are critically affected.
In 2009, the South Pacific, a BBC documentary, was published. It stated that “If fishing continues at its current rate, populations of all tuna species could vanish in the next 5 years”. Tuna will go extinct one fine day, even though breeding programs and other development programs are being employed. This will surely show an adverse effect on the food chains and the ocean ecosystems.
Tags: Blue tuna fish extinction, tuna fish population, tuna fish, how tuna fish is getting extinct, tuna fish in danger, tuna fish in verge of extinction, can tuna fish species fight extinction
By Fauna
June 1, 2014
Updated:
Published: June 1st, 2014
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