Tuna Tagging

Bluefin Tuna

Hello, Bluefin Tuna. Tag, you're it!

No, you're really it -- you are among the last of a species that once thrived throughout the Atlantic.

And so, today, teams of marine scientists are busy tagging Bluefins. By learning more about them, they're finding better ways to re-establish the world's remaining populations.

One group from the Census of Marine Life organization working with the Tag-A-Giant Foundation has tracked more than thirteen hundred Bluefin found off the coast of Ireland. So far, they've identified two groups they theorize forage together in the North Atlantic, then swim to opposite sides of the ocean to breed.

Another group is using data from 28 tagged Bluefin Tuna located near the Gulf of Mexico. They've discovered Bluefins there prefer spawning when the surface temperature is between seventy-five and eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Even a slight change in temperature, and they can lose the mood.

Knowing such intimate details about the Bluefin's lifestyle reveals that protecting them is both a local and global challenge. By tagging these ancient giants we can collect valuable data that can be used to discover the keys to their survival.

Script by Stephen Webb
Copyright 2007, Catalina Island Conservancy

Image from Wikipedia Commons

Discovery Links

To learn more about today’s topic, please explore the links below:

• Census of Marine Life
• Tuna Research and Conservation Center
• Tag-A-Giant Foundation
• Tagging of Pacific Predators