About the Southern Bluefin Tuna

Any time a species is endangered, biodiversity is threatened. The southern bluefin tuna can live to about forty years old and can weigh up to 440 pounds. It can reach about 6.5 feet in length. It is a very popular food, and so people fish for the southern bluefin tuna a lot.

It is now critically endangered. Since the 1950’s the population of the southern bluefin tuna has decreased 92 percent. The total world catch of southern bluefin tuna more than tripled in the 1950’s and 1960’s. It was listed as a threatened species in 2006.

It can be found in all the oceans in the southern hemisphere.

The southern bluefin tuna is one of Australia’s most valuable fish. But since it faces extinction, they might lose the southern bluefin tuna. It sells in Japan as a sashimi for about $23 a pound.

The largest catch ever taken was about 80,000 tons in one year! That is the same as 160,000,000 pounds! There are now limits in Australia. The total world catch is still 17,000 pounds per year. That is still quite a lot.

People don’t just fish for tuna. They have tuna farms where they fatten up the tuna for a period between 3-5 months. Port Lincoln, Australia is where a lot of tuna farms are located. In 1999 to 2000 tuna farms in the Port Lincoln area produced about 7780 pounds of tuna!

Why is it Endangered?

The southern bluefin tuna is endangered because of overfishing. Overfishing is when people fish more than necessary. The species can’t support these losses and becomes endangered or extinct.

People fish for the southern bluefin tuna mainly because of the value. Like I said before, it sells as a sashimi for about $23 a pound.