In: FAO Species Catalogue, Vol. 2. Scombrids of the World (1983). Courtesy of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Like the other bluefin tunas (T. thynnus and T. orientalis), Southern bluefin reaches large sizes: adults commonly grow to 180 cm in length.
Thunnus maccoyii is found in the Southern Hemisphere in the temperate and cold waters of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Southern bluefin’s thermoregulation capacity enables it to tolerate water temperatures from more than 25°C in the subtropics to less than 3°C in the sub-Antarctic regions. Southern bluefins migrate vast distances and tend to form schools by size, especially when they are juveniles and during the spawning season.
Size (cm) | Weight (kg) | Age (yrs) | |
---|---|---|---|
Common | 160 | 180 | 14+ |
Maximum | 245 | 260 | 40 |
Maturity | 120–150 | 100–160 | 8–12 |
Our Status of the Stocks report summarizes the status of bluefin tuna worldwide according to the most recent scientific assessments. The report includes:
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