Tuna 46211 225878597 2008-07-15T20:46:37Z Angelastic 3827404 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225871292 by [[Special:Contributions/Johntrewick|Johntrewick]] ([[User talk:Johntrewick|talk]]) {{otheruses}} '''Tuna''' are several [[species]] of ocean-dwelling [[fish]] in the family [[Scombridae]], mostly in the genus ''[[Thunnus]]''. Tunas are fast swimmers—they have been clocked at 70&nbsp;km/h (45&nbsp;mph)—and include several species that are [[warm-blooded]]. Unlike most fish species, which have white flesh, tuna have flesh that is pink to dark red. The red coloring comes from tuna muscle tissue's greater quantities of [[myoglobin]], an [[oxygen]]-binding molecule. Some of the larger tuna species, such as the [[bluefin tuna]], can raise their blood temperature above that of the water through muscular activity. This ability enables them to live in cooler waters and to survive in a wide range of ocean environments. Tuna species and fisheries have been [[overfishing|overfished]], and some stocks are at risk of collapse.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7040011.stm Last rites for a marine marvel?] Richard Black, BBC News Online, 17 October 2007. Retrieved [[2007-10-17]].</ref> == Commercial importance == {{commercial fish topics}} [[Image:Tuna maguro Yukinobu Shibata.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Tuna fishing in [[Hokkaidō]], [[Japan]]]] [[Image:Tsukiji Fish market and Tuna.JPG|thumb|200px|left|Tuna at a fish market]] [[Image:Tuna cut half japan.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Tuna cut in half for processing at the [[Tsukiji fish market]] in [[Tokyo, Japan]].]] Tuna is an important [[commercial fishing|commercial fish]]. Some varieties of tuna, such as the bluefin and [[bigeye tuna]], ''Thunnus obesus'', are threatened by [[overfishing]], which dramatically affects tuna populations in the [[Atlantic]] and northwestern [[Pacific Ocean]]s. Other areas seem to support fairly healthy populations of some of the over 48 different species of tuna —for example, the central and western Pacific [[skipjack tuna]], ''Katsuwonus pelamis''—but there is mounting evidence that overexploitation threatens tuna populations worldwide. The Australian government alleged in 2006 that [[Japan]] had illegally overfished southern bluefin by taking 12,000 to 20,000 tonnes per year instead of the their agreed 6,000 tonnes; the value of such overfishing would be as much as USD $2&nbsp;billion. Such overfishing has resulted in severe damage to stocks. "Japan's huge appetite for tuna will take the most sought-after stocks to the brink of commercial extinction unless fisheries agree on more rigid quotas, wildlife campaigners warned today" stated by the [[World Wide Fund for Nature|WWF]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/jan/22/japan.conservationandendangeredspecies Japan warned tuna stocks face extinction] Justin McCurry, guardian.co.uk, Monday January 22 2007. Retrieved [[2008-04-02]].</ref> Increasing quantities of high-grade tuna are entering the market from operations that rear tuna in net pens and feed them a variety of bait fish. In Australia the [[southern bluefin tuna]], ''Thunnus maccoyii'', is one of two species of bluefin tunas that are kept in tuna farms by former fishermen. Its close relative, the [[northern bluefin tuna]], ''Thunnus thynnus'', is being used to develop tuna farming industries in the [[Mediterranean]], [[North America]] and Japan. Due to their high position in the [[food chain]] and the subsequent [[bioaccumulation|accumulation]] of [[heavy metals]] from their diet, [[Mercury (element)|mercury]] levels can be high in larger species such as bluefin and [[albacore]]. As a result, in March 2004 the [[United States]] [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]] issued guidelines recommending that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children limit their intake of tuna and other types of predatory fish.<ref>{{cite web | title = What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish | url = http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html | date = 2004-03 | accessdate = 2007-05-19}}</ref> However, most canned light tuna is [[skipjack tuna]], which is lower in mercury. The [[Chicago Tribune]] reported that some canned light tuna such as [[yellowfin tuna]]<ref>{{cite web|title=FDA to check tuna|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0512310211dec31,1,2450043.story|accessdate=2007-06-21}}</ref> is significantly higher in mercury than skipjack tuna, and caused [[Consumers Union]] and other health groups to advise pregnant women to refrain from consuming canned tuna.<ref>{{cite web | title = Mercury in tuna | url = http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/tuna-safety/overview/0607_tuna_ov.htm | date = 2006-06 | accessdate = 2007-05-19}}</ref> The [[Eastern little tuna]] (''[[Euthynnus affinis]]'') has been available for decades as a low-mercury, less expensive canned tuna. However, of the five major species of canned tuna imported by the United States it is the least commercially attractive, primarily due to its dark color and more pronounced 'fishy' flavor. Its use has traditionally been restricted exclusively to institutional (non-retail) commerce. ==Recreational importance== [[Image:tuna steak.JPG|thumb|right|Tuna steak served in a French bistro]] In the 1930s and the 1940s, bluefin tuna were abundant in the waters of [[Cuba]], [[Bimini]] and Cat Cay just a few miles off the [[Florida]] coast, and were targeted by such fishermen as [[Ernest Hemingway]] and Habana Joe aboard his 1938 40-foot Wheeler named ''Pilar''. Word spread quickly among fishermen around the world about the exciting new sport of [[big-game fishing]]. Despite the growing popularity of the sport, however, the boats of the day were hardly ideal for the challenges of fighting the prized fish. Most boats used at the time were converted cabin cruisers, which were relatively slow and hard to maneuver. The Rybovich family of South Florida eventually constructed a boat in 1946 that catapulted the sport and gave birth to a new industry. This boat, the Miss Chevy II, was the first sportfishing boat the world had ever seen.<ref>http://www.rybovich.com/index.html?section=Sportfish%20Boats%2fHistory%20of%20Sportfish {{Dead link|date=May 2008}}</ref> Merritt gained particular notoriety during the 1950s through the 1970s with its 37- and 43-foot custom sport fishing boats, which together with boats like those being built by Rybovich gave birth to a new category of fishing yachts and helped fuel the growth of big game tuna fishing in the United States and around the world. == Canned tuna == [[Canning|Canned]] tuna was first produced in 1903, and quickly became popular.<ref name=Choice2004>[[Choice magazine|Choice]]: Jan/Feb 2004.</ref> In the United States, only Albacore can legally be sold in canned form as "white meat tuna"; in other countries, Yellowfin is also acceptable as "white meat tuna."{{Fact|date=October 2007}} While in the early 1980s canned tuna in Australia was most likely to be [[Southern bluefin tuna|Southern bluefin]], [[as of 2003]] it is usually yellowfin, skipjack, or [[tongol]] (labelled "northern bluefin").<ref name=Choice2004 /> As tuna are often caught great distances from where they are processed, poor quality control may lead to spoilage. Tuna are typically eviscerated by hand, then pre-cooked for 45 minutes to three hours. The fish are then cleaned and [[Fillet (cut)|filleted]], packaged into cans, and sealed. The second cooking of the tuna meat (called retort cooking) is carried out in the cans, this time for 2 to 4 hours.<ref>[http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/AS/sec3.htm The tuna processing industry], US Dept. of Labor, Retrieved 15 October, 2007</ref> This process kills any bacteria, but retains the [[histamine]] that can produce rancid flavors. The international standard sets the maximum [[histamine]] level at 200 milligrams per kilogram. An Australian study of 53 varieties of unflavored canned tuna found none to exceed the maximum histamine level, although some had "off" flavors.<ref name=Choice2004 /> Australia standards once required cans of tuna to contain at least 51% tuna, but these regulations were dropped in 2003. <ref name=Choice2003>[[Choice magazine|Choice]], August 2003.</ref> The remaining weight is usually oil or water. In the [[United States|US]], the [[Food and Drug Administration|FDA]] has regulations on canned tuna [http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=161.190] (see part ''c''). == Major tuna fleets == According to the [[Foodmarket Exchange]], the total tuna catch was 3,605,000 [[tons]] in 2000, down about 5.7 percent from 3,823,000 tons in 1999. The main tuna fishing nations are concentrated in [[Asia]], with [[Japan]] and [[Taiwan]] floating the main fleets. Other important tuna fishing nations in Asia are [[Indonesia]] and [[South Korea]]. [[Spain]] and [[France]] are also important tuna fishing countries, with their ships fishing primarily in the [[Indian Ocean]]. Japan remains the main tuna fishing nation fishing in the [[Pacific]]. In 2000, total tuna caught by Japanese vessels was 633,000 tons, about 17 percent of the world tuna catch. Taiwan was the second biggest tuna producer at 435,000 tons, or about 12 percent of the world's total catch. Spain supplies most of the yellowfin to European canneries, accounting for 5.9 percent of the total tuna catch, while [[Ecuador]] and [[Mexico]] dominate the [[Eastern Pacific Ocean]]. == Tuna fishing and commercial whaling == Some maritime countries such as [[Nauru]] have argued that [[commercial whaling]] is a necessity for preserving stocks of tuna and the [[sustainability]] of that country's fishing fleet.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} == Management and conservation == There are five main tuna fishery management bodies: the Western Central Pacific Ocean Fisheries Commission, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, the [[International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas]] and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna.<ref>{{cite web | title = WWF demands tuna monitoring system | url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/WWF-demands-tuna-monitoring-system/2007/01/19/1169095972203.html | date = 2007-01-19 | accessdate = 2008-05-19}}</ref> The five met together for the first time in [[Kobe]], [[Japan]] in January 2007. Environmental organisations made submissions<ref>{{cite web | url = http://oceans.greenpeace.org/en/documents-reports/rfmo-kobe | title = Briefing: Joint Tuna RFMO Meeting, Kobe 2007 | date = 2007-01-23 | accessdate = 2008-05-19}}</ref> on risks to fisheries and species. The meeting concluded with an action plan drafted by some 60 countries or areas. Concrete steps include issuing certificates of origin to prevent illegal fishing and greater transparency in the setting of regional fishing quotas. The delegates are scheduled to meet at another joint meeting in January or February 2009 in Europe.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200701/s1834563.htm | title = Conference approves global plan to save tuna stocks | date = 2007-01-26 | accessdate = 2008-05-10}}</ref> == Association with dolphins == Many tuna species associate with [[dolphin]]s, swimming alongside them. These include [[yellowfin tuna]] in the eastern Pacific Ocean, but not [[albacore]] or [[Skipjack tuna|skipjack]]. The reason for the association is believed to be the avoidance of dolphins by sharks, which are [[predator]]s of tuna. Swimming near dolphins reduces the likelihood of the tuna being attacked by a shark.<ref>[http://journalism.berkeley.edu/projects/border/ensenada.html ENSENADA: El Puerto del Atun<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Fishing vessels can exploit this association by searching for pods of dolphins. They encircle the pod with nets to catch the tuna beneath.<ref>[http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/ADED9F368A73DC3280256E1B003F367C]</ref> The nets are prone to entangling dolphins, thus injuring or killing them. As a result of public outcry, methods have been made more "dolphin friendly", now generally involving lines rather than nets. However, there are neither universal independent inspection programs nor verification of "dolphin safeness" to show that dolphins are not harmed during tuna fishing. According to Consumers Union, the resulting lack of accountability means claims that tuna is "[[Dolphin safe label|Dolphin safe]]" should be given little credence. == Methods of capture == * Andalusian method of [[Almadraba]], in which nets are used, creating a maze in which the tuna are secured. * [[big-game fishing]] * [[longline fishing]] * [[purse seine]]s - the major threat to dolphins * pole and line * [[harpoon gun]] == Species == [[Image:Tuna all sizes Pengo.svg|thumb|350px|Maximum reported sizes of tuna species]] There are eight tuna species in the ''[[Thunnus]]'' genus: * [[Albacore]], ''Thunnus alalunga'' <small>([[Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre|Bonnaterre]], 1788)</small>. * [[Yellowfin tuna]], ''Thunnus albacares'' <small>([[Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre|Bonnaterre]], 1788)</small>. * [[Blackfin tuna]], ''Thunnus atlanticus'' <small>([[René-Primevère Lesson|Lesson]], 1831)</small>. * [[Southern bluefin tuna]], ''Thunnus maccoyii'' <small>([[François Louis Nompar de Caumat de Laporte Castelnau|Castelnau]], 1872)</small>. * [[Bigeye tuna]], ''Thunnus obesus'' <small>(Lowe, 1839)</small>. * [[Pacific bluefin tuna]], ''Thunnus orientalis'' <small>([[Coenraad Jacob Temminck|Temminck]] & [[Hermann Schlegel|Schlegel]], 1844)</small>. * [[Northern bluefin tuna]], ''Thunnus thynnus'' <small>([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758)</small>. * [[Longtail tuna]], ''Thunnus tonggol'' <small>([[Pieter Bleeker|Bleeker]], 1851)</small>. Species of several other genera (all in the family [[Scombridae]]) have common names containing "tuna": * [[Skipjack tuna]] ''Katsuwonus pelamis'' <small>([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], 1758)</small> * [[Slender tuna]] ''Allothunnus fallai'' <small>(Serventy, 1948) </small> * [[Bullet tuna]] ''Auxis rochei'' <small>(Risso, 1810)</small> * [[Frigate tuna]] ''Auxis thazard'' <small>(Lacepede, 1800)</small> * [[Kawakawa (fish)|Kawakawa]] (little tuna or mackerel tuna) ''Euthynnus affinis'' <small>(Cantor, 1849)</small> * [[Little tunny]] (little tuna) ''Euthynnus alletteratus'' <small>(Rafinesque, 1810)</small> * [[Dogtooth tuna]] ''Gymnosarda unicolor'' <small>([[Edward Rüppell|Rüppell]], 1836)</small> * [[Black skipjack tuna]] ''Euthynnus lineatus'' <small>(Kishinouye, 1920)</small> == Nutrition and health == Canned tuna is a prominent component in many [[weight training|weight trainers]]' diets, as it is very high in [[protein]] and is easily prepared. A can of tuna in oil contains about the ''Adequate Intake'' (AI) of the US [[Dietary Reference Intake]] of [[vitamin D]] for infants, children, men, and women aged 19–50 - 200 [[International unit|UI]]. Canned tuna can also be a good source of [[omega-3 fatty acids]], of which it sometimes contains over 300 mg per serving.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} A January 2008 report conducted by the New York Times has found potentially dangerous levels of [[mercury (element)|mercury]] in certain varieties of tuna, reporting levels "so high that the Food and Drug Administration could take legal action to remove the fish from the market."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/dining/23sushi.html?ref=nyregion High Mercury Levels Are Found in Tuna Sushi - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == See also == *[[Earth Island Institute]] == References == {{Refimprove|date=March 2008}} {{reflist}} * Clover, Charles. 2004. ''The End of the Line: How overfishing is changing the world and what we eat''. Ebury Press, London. ISBN 0-09-189780-7 * FAO Species Catalog Vol. 2 Scombrids of the World. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125, Volume 2. FIR/S125 Vol. 2.ISBN 92-5-101381-0 == External links == {{cookbook}} * [http://www.tunafacts.com/healthbenefits/index.html Nutritional benefits of tuna] * [http://www.watanabeblade.com/english/custom.htm The slide show - How to cut Maguro (tuna)] * [http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/FCF161.html U.S. Code of Federal Regulations 21CFR161 Fish and Shellfish] * [[Nauru]] and sustainable tuna fishing:[http://www.un.int/nauru/pressreleases.html#062905] *[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/25/nyregion/25nyc.html?ref=nyregion nytimes.com, Tuna Fish Stories: The Candidates Spin the Sushi] *[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jTqANaltRcD6A4XTMczuyaiJ5bpAD8UD3Q3O0 ap.google.com, Japanese Sushi Lovers Shrug at Mercury] {{fisheries and fishing}} [[Category:Scombridae]] [[Category:Edible fish]] [[Category:Commercial fish]] [[Category:Sport fish]] [[af:Tuna]] [[ar:تونة]] [[ca:Tonyina]] [[da:Tunfisk]] [[de:Thunfische]] [[eo:Tinuso]] [[fr:Thon]] [[ko:다랑어]] [[io:Atuno]] [[id:Tuna]] [[is:Túnfiskur]] [[he:טונה]] [[ht:Ton]] [[lt:Paprastieji tunai]] [[nl:Tonijn]] [[ja:ツナ]] [[pl:Tuńczyki]] [[pt:Atum]] [[qu:Atun challwa]] [[ru:Тунцы]] [[scn:Tunnu]] [[simple:Tuna]] [[fi:Tonnikalat]] [[th:ปลาทูน่า]] [[vi:Cá ngừ đại dương]] [[tr:Orkinos]] [[zh:鮪魚]]