Blackfin tuna


The blackfin tuna is the smallest tuna species in the genus Thunnus, generally growing to a maximum of in length and weighing 21 kg.
Blackfin tuna have oval-shaped bodies, black backs with a slight yellow on the finlets, and yellow on the sides of their bodies. They are found in the western Atlantic from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, to Brazil, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Blackfin tuna hunt both epipelagic and mesopelagic fish and squid. They also eat crustaceans such as shrimp, crabs, amphipods, stomatopods, and the larvae of decapods. They are a short-lived, fast-growing species; a 5-year-old fish would be considered old. They reach sexual maturity at the age of 2 years, and spawn in the open sea during the summer. Blackfin tuna are a warmer-water fish, preferring water temperatures over.

Sustainable consumption

In 2010, Greenpeace International did not add the blackfin tuna, unlike other tuna species, to its seafood red list.