Project

Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program

Tracking tropical tuna to improve population assessments

People pursue tropical tunas (skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye) around the globe as sources of high-volume low-cost protein, and even as high-end sushi and sashimi products. By volume, skipjack tunas are the third largest fishery in the world, and when combined with the yellowfin tuna (often caught in the same schools as skipjacks) make up the second largest fishery in the world. Despite their prominence in global fisheries, we know surprisingly little about the life history of these highly migratory species. This makes population assessments difficult and stock statuses uncertain. The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) established the Atlantic Ocean Tropical Tuna Tagging Program to learn more about the migratory pattern of these fish and how to improve their Management. UMaine and GMRI are partnering with ICCAT to tag these tropical tunas in the northwest Atlantic.

Project Goals:

  • Engage recreational and commercial anglers in a conventional tagging program for tropical tunas.
  • Understand the migratory routes and habitat uses for skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Improve the assessment and management of tropical tuna fisheries to promote stable and sustainable ecological and economic systems.

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