“King of all fish” - this title was given to tuna in 1922 by Ernest Hemingway, who was impressed by the sparkling living torpedo that cut through the sea waves off the coast of Spain.

Description of tuna

Ichthyologists recognize tuna as perhaps the most perfect inhabitant of the ocean. These sea fish, whose name goes back to ancient Greek. root "thynō" (throw), are in the family Scombridae and form 5 genera with 15 species. Most species do not have a swim bladder. Tunas differ greatly in size (length and weight) - for example, mackerel tuna grows to only half a meter with a weight of 1.8 kg, while bluefin tuna gains up to 300–500 kg with a length of 2 to 4.6 m.

The genus of small tuna includes:

• skipjack, also known as skipjack tuna;
• southern tuna;
• spotted small tuna;
• mackerel tuna;
• Atlantic small tuna.

The genus of true tuna is represented by the most impressive species, such as:

• longfin tuna;
• bigeye tuna;
• yellowfin tuna;
• ordinary (blue/cyan).

The latter pleases fishermen with excellent-sized specimens: it is known, for example, that in 1979 a bluefin tuna weighing almost 680 kg was caught near Canada.

Appearance

Tuna is an incredibly powerful creature that nature has blessed with perfect anatomy and revolutionary biological adaptations. All tuna have an elongated, spindle-like body, which helps them gain enviable speed and cover enormous distances. In addition, for the speed and duration of swimming, we must thank the optimal shape of the dorsal fin, resembling a sickle.

Other benefits of the Thunnus genus include:

• unusually strong caudal fin;
• increased rate of gas exchange;
• amazing biochemistry/physiology of the heart and blood vessels;
• high hemoglobin level;
• wide gills that filter water so that tuna receives 50% of its oxygen (in other fish - 25-33%);
• an exemplary thermoregulatory system that supplies heat to the eyes, brain, muscles and abdomen.

Due to the latter circumstance, the body of tuna is always warmer (by 9−14°C) environment, while the own temperature of most fish coincides with the water temperature. The explanation is simple - they lose heat from muscle work, since blood continuously flows through the gill capillaries: here it is not only enriched with oxygen, but also cools down to the temperature of the water.

Important! Only an additional heat exchanger (counterflow), placed between the gills and other tissues, can increase body temperature. All tuna have this natural heat exchanger.

Thanks to it, bluefin tuna maintains its body temperature at +27+28 °C even at a kilometer depth, where the water does not warm up above +5 °C. Warm-bloodedness is responsible for intense muscle activity, which provides tuna with excellent speed. The built-in heat exchanger of tuna is a network of subcutaneous vessels that supply blood to the lateral muscles, where the main role is assigned to the red muscles (muscle fibers of a special structure adjacent to the spinal column).

The vessels that irrigate the red lateral muscles with blood form an intricate pattern of intertwined veins and arteries through which blood flows in opposite directions. The venous blood of tuna (warmed by the work of the muscles and pushed out by the cardiac ventricle) transfers its heat not to the water, but to the arterial (counter) blood filtered by the gills. And the muscles of the fish are washed by the already warm blood flow.

The first to notice and describe this morphological feature of the genus Thunnus was the Japanese researcher K. Kisinuye. He proposed to allocate all the tuna into an independent detachment, but, unfortunately, he did not receive the support of his colleagues.

Behavior and lifestyle

Tunas are considered social animals, characterized by schooling behavior - they gather in large communities and hunt in groups. In search of food, these pelagic fish are ready to make throws over maximum distances, especially since they can always count on their staying talents.

When preparing to hunt, tuna line up in a curved line (similar to the string of a drawn bow) and begin to drive prey at top speed. By the way, permanent swimming is inherent in the very biology of the genus Thunnus. Stopping them threatens with death, since the respiratory process is triggered by the transverse bending of the body coming from the caudal fin. The forward movement also ensures a continuous flow of water through the open mouth into the gills.

Lifespan

The lifespan of these amazing ocean inhabitants depends on the species - the more massive its representatives, the longer the life. The list of long-lived tuna includes common tuna (35–50 years), Australian tuna (20–40 years) and Pacific bluefin tuna (15–26 years). The ones that linger the least in this world are yellowfin (5–9) and mackerel tuna (5 years).

Range, habitats

Tunas somewhat distanced themselves from other mackerel over 40 million years ago, settling throughout the World Ocean (with the exception of the polar seas).

This is interesting! Already in the Stone Age, detailed images of fish appeared in the caves of Sicily, and in the Bronze and Iron Ages, fishermen of the Mediterranean (Greeks, Phoenicians, Romans, Turks and Moroccans) counted the days until tuna came to spawn.

Not so long ago, the range of the common tuna was extremely wide and covered the entire Atlantic Ocean, from the Canary Islands to the North Sea, as well as Norway (where it swam in the summer). Bluefin tuna were a common resident Mediterranean Sea, occasionally entering the Black Sea. It was also found off the Atlantic coast of America, as well as in the waters of East Africa, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and Peru. Currently, the range of bluefin tuna has significantly narrowed. The habitat areas of small tuna are distributed as follows:

• southern tuna - subtropical waters of the southern hemisphere (New Zealand, South Africa, Tasmania and Uruguay);
• mackerel tuna – coastal areas of warm seas;
• Spotted Tuna - Indian Ocean and Western Pacific;
• Atlantic small tuna – Africa, America and the Mediterranean Sea;
• skipjack (skipjack tuna) - tropical and subtropical areas of the Pacific Ocean.

Diet, nutrition

Tuna, especially the largest ones (blue), eat almost everything that is in the depths of the sea - floating or lying on the bottom.

Suitable food for tuna are:

• schooling fish, including herring, mackerel, hake and pollock;
• flounder;
• squid and octopus;
• sardine and anchovy;
• small species of sharks;
• crustaceans, including crabs;
• cephalopods;
• sessile sponges.

Fishermen and ichthyologists easily recognize places where tuna deal with herring - its sparkling scales twist into funnels, which gradually lose speed and slowly dissolve. And only individual scales that did not have time to sink to the bottom remind us that tuna recently dined here.

Tuna breeding

Previously, ichthyologists were confident that the depths of the North Atlantic were inhabited by two schools of common tuna - one living in the Western Atlantic and spawning in the Gulf of Mexico, and the second living in the Eastern Atlantic, going to spawn in the Mediterranean Sea.

Important! It was from this hypothesis that the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna proceeded when setting quotas for its catch. Fish production was limited in the Western Atlantic, but allowed (in larger quantities) in the Eastern Atlantic.

Over time, the thesis about 2 Atlantic stocks was recognized as incorrect, which was greatly facilitated by tagging of fish (which started in the middle of the last century) and the use of molecular genetic techniques. For more than 60 years, it has been possible to find out that tuna actually spawn in two sectors (the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea), but individual fish easily migrate from one place to another, and, therefore, the population is united.

Each zone has its own breeding season. In the Gulf of Mexico, tuna begin spawning from mid-April to June, when the water warms up to +22.6 +27.5 °C. For most tuna, the first spawning occurs no earlier than 12 years, although puberty occurs at 8–10 years, when the fish grows up to 2 m. In the Mediterranean Sea, fertility occurs much earlier - after reaching 3 years of age. Spawning itself occurs in the summer, in June – July.

Tunas are highly fertile. Large individuals produce about 10 million eggs (1.0–1.1 cm in size). After some time, each egg with a drop of fat hatches into a larva 1–1.5 cm tall. All larvae gather in schools on the surface of the water.

The water spaces of our planet are inhabited by about 20 thousand species of fish. The vast majority of them are marine fish (more than 14.5 thousand species). Anthropogenic impact on the inhabitants of the seas and oceans affects much less, therefore, according to sanitary and hygienic criteria, sea fish is considered much “cleaner” than freshwater fish.

Description of tuna

The largest tuna in the world, caught in 2012 off the coast of New Zealand by a spin fisherman, weighed 335 kg.

Due to their anatomical features, the life of this genus of mackerel fish is impossible without constant movement, to which they are perfectly adapted. Tuna has a spindle-shaped body with massive lateral muscles, narrowing towards the tail. The tail stem is equipped with a large leathery keel; the back fin has a sickle shape ideal for fast and long swimming. The blood is saturated with oxygen, and the body temperature is much warmer than the water, which allows them to feel comfortable in cold water bodies.

The fish is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans, but is also found in cooler temperate latitudes: it lives in the Black, Japanese, and Azov seas. A subspecies of Atlantic bluefin tuna is found in the Barents Sea.

Tunas are excellent swimmers, capable of reaching speeds of up to 90 km/h. In pursuit of food, they are able to quickly overcome vast spaces. Tuna stay in large schools. The red color of the meat is explained by the presence of the iron-containing protein myoglobin, which is actively produced in the muscles during “high-speed” movement.

The main food for tuna is small fish (sardine, mackerel, herring), crustaceans and mollusks. The ability to reproduce in tuna begins at the age of three. A large female is capable of laying several million eggs. Spawning occurs in warm subtropical waters in June-July.

Types of tuna

There are about 50 species and subspecies, but several of them are considered the most famous:

• Common or red tuna is distributed in the equatorial waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas, the northeastern regions of the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. Red tuna is also occasionally found in cooler latitudes: off the coast of Greenland and in the Barents Sea. The largest tuna of this species weighed 684 kg, with a length of 4.58 m.
• Atlantic or blackfin (also known as blackfin tuna) is the smallest tuna. Adult specimens grow no more than one meter and gain Weight Limit– 20 kg. The lifespan of this species is the shortest among tunas - about 4-6 years. Atlantic tuna has yellowish sides and a back fin with a yellow tint. This species prefers only the warm seas of the western Atlantic (from the coast of Brazil to Cape Cod).
• Bluefin tuna is the largest species. Maximum length– 4.6 m, weight – 680 kg. Its thick body is circular in cross section. Large scales along the lateral line resemble a kind of shell. The habitat of bluefin tuna is very wide - from tropical to polar waters of the world's oceans. Bluefin tuna is of greatest commercial importance.
• Yellowfin tuna (aka yellowtail) lives in tropical and temperate latitudes, with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea. Maximum length – 2.4 m, maximum weight – 200 kg. The hind fins of these fish are bright yellow in color. An adult yellowtail tuna has 20 vertical stripes on its silvery belly.
• Albacore, longfin or white tuna is famous for the most tender and fatty meat. Longfin tuna weighs about 20 kg. Distributed in temperate and tropical latitudes of the world's oceans. White tuna meat is considered the most valuable.

Yellowtail tuna

This type of fish (they are also called yellowfin tuna) is so called because of the special coloring of the dorsal (soft) and anal fins. They look orange-yellow.

The largest individuals can grow up to 2 meters in length and gain a weight of 130 kg. The growth process of tuna is very intensive; the rate of increase in length is 50...60 cm annually. In 2 years, the fish reach a weight of 13 kg, after 4 years - 60 kg.

Yellowtail tuna lives only in warm waters and is found in all the earth's oceans. The distribution area is limited to the border with a water temperature of 20 degrees. When the indicator drops to +18°C, this type of fish is almost impossible to find in such a region. It is caught in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and locals consider it their Mediterranean tuna and prepare excellent dishes from it.

Adult individuals live only in the oceans, in open spaces, at depths of one and a half hundred meters. The young stay in flocks, constantly closer to the surface and to the shore. In the tropics, yellowtail tuna are found everywhere, but their number depends on the state of the food supply. There are more fish in waters that have increased biological productivity and plenty of food.

Within the same habitat, tuna often form numerous populations that live in certain areas of the oceans. Among them there are those who make long migrations. There are others who prefer local waters and a sedentary life. Yellowfin tunas do not make Pacific movements, like some of their counterparts (bluefin tuna, albacore).

Yellowtail tuna, like its relative the common tuna, is indiscriminate in food and does not have any preferences. The fish feeds everywhere on any organisms that it encounters along its travel route. This is confirmed by the composition of food residues in the stomachs of caught individuals, which contain up to 50 different fish belonging to different groups.

Small tuna, whose life is spent near the surface, hunt more for fish, for which the layers of water near the surface are their “home”. Large ones prefer to eat gempilas, sunfishes, sea breams, whose habitat is mid-depth.

The ability to have offspring in yellowtails or, as they are called among professional fishermen, yellow tunas appears only when they grow 50...60 cm in length. The number of eggs varies among individuals of different sizes. The minimum is approximately 1 million pieces, the maximum is 8.5 million pieces. The spawning period of yellowtail tuna in the tropics is all seasons of the year, closer to the boundaries of their habitat in the summer.

Longfin tuna

Such fish are also called albacore. It differs from other species by the fins located on the chest, which are large in size.

You can meet individuals from this species in the oceans, in their free spaces. The most promising places for this are between the forties latitudes. They approach the coastal areas of reservoirs extremely rarely. Only 2–6-year-old fish can live outside the boundaries of their range. And only in upper layers, if they are sufficiently warmed by the sun. Fish can only tolerate the salinity inherent in ocean waters. Reliably withstand temperature fluctuations in the range of +12°С…+23°С). At the same time, with low salinity levels, freshwater tuna is an unreal phenomenon and not found anywhere in the world.

In the first years of life, fish are in the surface layers of water. When they reach sexual maturity, they “go” to 150...200 meter depths and into the tropics of the Earth.

Fish that have “mastered” moderately heated waters and live there, feed mainly on inhabitants (crustaceans, fish, squids) living in layers of water close to the surface of reservoirs. In the tropics, her food contains deep sea inhabitants(sea breams, gempilas, some cephalopods).

Longfin tuna reaches the period of sexual maturity after 4...5 years of life. Its condition is characterized by almost a meter (90 cm) length and 45 kg of weight. Spawning in the tropics occurs in the spring-summer period, at the boundaries of the zone. Females lay up to 2.5 million eggs.

Fish are characterized by constant migration, and over considerable distances. For example, in the Pacific Ocean this is observed between Japan and the shores of America almost always along the same routes.

Today longfin tuna is protected by the international Red Book.

Black tuna

This species is the smallest known. Usually it does not exceed half a meter in length and 3 kg in weight. Although occasionally individuals are observed that are a meter long and weigh more than 21 kg.

The habitat of black tuna is very limited, which makes it stand out among its fellows. It is found only in the Atlantic, and in its western part. This is the area south of Rio de Janeiro and north of Massachusetts. For life, it prefers near-surface places where the water is clean and warm.

The fish's body is close to an oval in shape. It, together with the tail (has a crescent-shaped profile), allows the black tuna to move at very high speed. The body of the fish on the belly is colored White color, on the sides in silver, the color of the back can be black, bluish-gray or an intermediate shade. There is also a stripe on the sides with blurred boundaries and a golden-yellow color. It is wide at the head and narrow at the tail. There are small protrusions on the body below (tail-anal fin section) and above (tail-second dorsal fin section).

This wild tuna becomes sexually mature faster than all its relatives - by 2 years. Spawning occurs in different habitats in different ways - April-November. The fry appear quickly and immediately begin an independent life. They drift according to the will of the current in the water column, at approximately 50 meters depth. The fish grows quickly and by the age of 5 is considered old.

The diet of black tuna includes amphipods, crabs, shrimp, squid, and a variety of fish. Due to their small size, they themselves often become prey for other fish living in the oceans: skipjack tuna, large coryphaena, blue marlin.

Black tuna is prized by fishermen and is considered a coveted trophy.

Skipjack tuna

This species (also known as skipjack), unlike its relatives, has several longitudinal stripes located on the body. They have a silver color on their belly, and ash blue closer to the back. The fish among tunas, which constantly live in the open ocean, is the smallest. It is rarely caught, measuring a meter in size and weighing 25 kg. “Standard” with catch values ​​of 5...3 kg and 60...50 cm.

Such tunas live only in the surface layers of water and only in the ocean. Sometimes it is caught offshore, but this is only possible near coral reefs. Habitat: Pacific Ocean, in its subtropical and tropical regions. Also lives in seas with warm (+17°С…+28°С) water.

It prefers to be in flocks, sometimes gathering in schools of up to tens of thousands of individuals. In a school, there are often fish of the same age and physical condition, capable of moving equally quickly (speed reaches 45 km/h). In addition to “pure” ones, schools of fish mixed in composition (yellowfin tuna, dolphins) are less common.

Like most of their relatives, skipjack tunas undergo significant seasonal migrations. They are especially noticeable near the coast of Japan. In summer, concentrations of fish are observed here, sometimes as far as the Kuril Islands, to the south of which, at this time, bigeye tuna is found, living at great depths (over 200 m) and reaching 2.36 m in length.

Fish become capable of spawning after living for 2...3 years, when their body becomes 40 centimeters long. The fertility of fish is directly related to the latter. For example, females 40 cm long spawn up to 200 thousand pieces. eggs, 75 cm - up to 2 million pieces. The spawning areas coincide completely with the distribution areas of tuna and are found only in the tropics.

This species feeds on inhabitants of surface water bodies. Their diet usually includes small fish, crustaceans, and squid. It includes more than 180 different animals. The specific set varies in each habitat.

Mackerel tuna

Fish of this species are the smallest of those living near the coast. It is an epipelagic fish, lives in the warm tropical seas of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans.

The body color is dark blue on the back and almost black on the head. The sides are bluish with dark wavy stripes. The belly is white. The ventral and pectoral fins are of different colors: black on the inside and purple on the outside. The differences are the short length of the pectoral fins and the absence of a swim bladder.

It grows up to 40...30 cm and gains only 5...2.5 kg of weight. Sometimes you come across specimens 58 cm long.

The diet of these fish includes plankton and small fish (anchovies, silversides, etc.). Tunas themselves often become prey to their larger counterparts.

Puberty occurs when the body length reaches 35...30 cm. The fertility of females is 200 thousand...1.4 million eggs depending on the length of 30...44.2 cm. Fish spawn all year round: January-April in the Pacific Ocean (eastern part) ; August-April in the Indian Ocean (southern part).

Mackerel tunas are prone to long migrations in ocean waters.

Atlantic tuna

Atlantic tuna is one of the brightest, fastest and largest fish. It is warm-blooded, which is very rare among fish. Lives in the waters of Iceland and the Gulf of Mexico. It appears in the tropical waters of the Mediterranean Sea, where it comes to spawn. This species previously lived in the Black Sea, but at present this population has remained in history.

The fish have a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body, which is ideally aerodynamic and allows the fish to move quickly and for a long time. The color of the back is metallic blue on top, the belly is silver-white, with a shimmering tint.

Atlantic tuna diet: zooplankton, crustaceans, eels, squid. The fish have an insatiable appetite, so they usually grow two meters in length and gain a weight of a quarter of a ton. There are also individuals with more impressive characteristics. For example, the largest Atlantic tuna is believed to have been caught in the waters near Nova Scotia. He “pulled” 680 kg.

Tuna fishing - features of fishing in the sea

Most often, schools stay at shallow depths, in places where small fish accumulate. Tuna hunt enthusiastically and noisily, so detecting their presence is not difficult due to the boiling white breakers and flying spray. Often schools of tuna are accompanied by dolphins and seabirds.

Usually the hunt begins with bait: in the intended area of ​​its location, fresh or frozen small fish are thrown overboard. Tuna react very quickly to small bubbles of water, so fishermen widely use “artificial rain” as bait: a special sprinkler is installed at the stern of the boat, which waters the sea surface as the vessel moves, creating a bubble spot on it, which the fish confuse with a school feeding fry. Fishermen throw a spoon into the “bubble zone” at a vertical angle of 2-3 m and wait for a bite. This method is only good in calm, clear weather.

In other conditions, fishing is carried out by trolling: the bait (heavy spoon or wobbler with a depth of up to 5 m) is transported on a strong cord behind a floating vessel. A sea spinning rod is suitable as a tackle. The size of artificial baits should be quite large and bright - about 18 cm, otherwise the fish may simply not notice it, since fishing takes place from a boat moving at speed. The trolling reel and line should be strong (with a capacity of 50 to 130 lb).

Milk is hunted in places where it is widespread. The design of this fishing rod is simple: the basis is a durable fishing rod, which is used in conjunction with a special belt. The belt has a recess into which the butt of the rod rests when fishing for tuna. A strong cord or fishing line is tightly attached to the rod. The polished hook (No. 6/0) must be barbless. They throw it without bait - it works like a spoon.

The fish grabs the bait confidently and decisively, so hooking it is quite simple, but fishing for large trophies can take a long time: tuna is a strong and desperate fish that is capable of resisting for a long time and fiercely, testing the strength of the fisherman and his gear. Large specimens are removed from the water using hooks and special winches.

Useful and dangerous properties of tuna meat

The benefits of meat

Tuna is a unique product in which the beneficial qualities of fish are combined with nutritional and taste properties meat. This sea fish contains so many vitamins and phosphorus that the leadership of American universities has introduced tuna dishes into the mandatory menu of the canteens, in order to maintain the mental activity of students and teachers. French nutritionists compare the meat of this fish with young veal in terms of hemoglobin levels and protein content. But unlike beef, the proteins that tuna is so rich in are very quickly and almost completely (95%) absorbed by the body. Dutch scientists have confirmed the fact that eating just 30 g of this fish per day can effectively prevent many cardiovascular diseases, thanks to the increased content of a natural complex of valuable fatty acids omega-3 and 6. Along with other vitamins, the composition contains valuable folic acid, which effectively reduces the level of the “evil” amino acid - homocysteine, which accumulates in the body with age and damages the walls of blood vessels.

The Japanese, the main consumers of this fish, are the most clear evidence of tuna's ability to preserve youth and prolong life.

Hazardous properties

However, tuna is harmful to small children and pregnant women - large individuals sea ​​fish are able to accumulate mercury and lead in their organs over the years.

On the contrary, consumption of fish meat prevents the occurrence of cancer diseases, leads to normal blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Nutritional value and calorie content

Despite the record fat content, tuna is a dietary fish. Depending on the type, the nutritional value ranges from 110 to 150 kcal.

100 g includes:

• Proteins – 23.3–24.4 g;
• Fats – 4.6-4.8 g;
• Carbohydrates – 0 g;
• Ash – 1.2-1.7 g.

The lowest calorie species is the yellowfin (110 kcal). Even when fried, the energy indicator does not exceed 140 kcal. The calorie content of canned tuna in oil increases to 198 kcal.

Fish diet on tuna

Its valuable composition and excellent taste with low calorie content allow tuna to become the “king” of many dietary programs for health improvement and weight loss. Fish goes best with vegetables: cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, celery stalks, Chinese cabbage, bell pepper. Instead of mayonnaise, nutritionists recommend seasoning snacks and salads with tuna with olive oil. For a diet salad made from canned tuna, it is better to use canned Tuna in its own juice.

How to cook tuna: cooking recipes

Japanese chefs claim that this fish can be prepared with virtually no waste. Excellent broths and soups can be cooked from the head, some of the entrails and fins; steaks from large fish are very tasty fried and baked; famous toro and tuna sushi are prepared from the tender belly of fresh and fatty fish.

Unfortunately, fresh tuna is very rare, so a tin can for most of our fellow citizens is the most affordable option for inclusion in the diet of this very useful and delicious fish. Fortunately, canned tuna almost does not lose the valuable properties of natural fish, and many interesting recipes from canned tuna allow you to enjoy a variety of dishes at any time. Pies, salads, cutlets, souffles and pates from canned food are prepared in a matter of minutes.

Niçoise salad with tuna (classic)

This salad is absolutely mysteriously popular in France. It would seem that in the “culinary Mecca”, a producing country and admirer of fresh natural products, a salad could appear, the main ingredients of which are canned tuna and boiled eggs? However, Niçoise salad is on the menu of the vast majority of French restaurants.

Take a shallow dish. Lay its bottom beautifully with lettuce leaves, torn into several pieces. Then, in random order, add large slices of ripe tomatoes (3-4 pcs.), anchovies (6-8 fillets), green onions, basil (5-7 leaves), eggs cut into 4 parts (3 pcs.), canned tuna , disassembled into large fibers (1 jar). For the sauce: mix 40 ml olive oil, one clove of chopped garlic, salt, 1.5 tsp. wine vinegar.

Tuna pate

Mix 1 tbsp in a blender. thick yogurt, cream cheese (100 g), zest from half a lemon, a pinch of ground paprika and a can of canned tuna in oil. You can add capers to the resulting homogeneous mass. This pate is especially delicious with bagels or sesame buns.

Cutlets

To prepare 10 cutlets, mix 1 jar of fish in its own juice (the juice must be drained), 1 glass of well-cooked rice, half a glass of wheat flour, a spoonful of mayonnaise, one egg, salt, 50 g of grated cheese, a spoonful of chili sauce, one large boiled potato, several cloves of chopped garlic. The minced meat should be kneaded well and formed into 10 cutlets.

Fry the cutlets until a delicious crust forms on both sides.

Seared Tuna Recipe

To experience the unique taste of tuna, it is very important not to dry it out when frying, otherwise, instead of a delicacy, you may end up with a tasteless and tough piece of fish. Ideally suited for frying are portioned steaks frozen directly on the boat, which are thawed immediately before cooking.

Mix salt, black and red pepper in equal parts in a cup. Rub the pieces of fish well with this spicy mixture, then roll in fine flour, and then in semolina. Such thorough breading will preserve the precious tuna juice. Fry the steaks in oil for no more than 2 minutes on each side. The center of the steak should still be slightly raw and pink. Serve fried tuna with salsa or tartar sauce with a side dish of any vegetables and a glass of good wine.

Tuna photo

Catching this fish is characterized by maximum excitement and impressive trophies. Tuna is a solid, beautiful, strong fish, and defeating it in a worthy fight is a matter of special pride for a fisherman. The photo gallery presented here will to some extent help you appreciate the beauty of hunting for the main “gladiators” of the seas.

Tuna fishing, video

The video shows the final stage of a duel between a fisherman and a bluefin tuna. The fisherman has already taken a position and has begun to fish for fish in the fighting chair; the gear has been thrown from the side of the vessel and securely secured in the glass of the chair. Not the largest specimen for this type of tuna, it bends a powerful fishing rod with incredible strength and tests the strength of the reel brakes with unimaginable maneuvers. No wonder it's blue tuna For their excellent fighting qualities they are considered the strongest and bravest fish!

If earlier tourists came to Cyprus to swim and sunbathe between shopping and going to restaurants, now more and more people want to go sea fishing on a yacht. Tuna fishing in the open sea is especially popular among guests. The video shows one of these flights, which culminated in the capture of five medium-sized tuna by lane fishing. The very first tuna was eaten by satisfied fishermen right on the yacht, in the form of sashimi with soy sauce.

Bluefin tuna is one of the largest and fastest fish in the world. The torpedo shape and streamlined body allow it to develop good speed. The metallic blue paint on top and shimmering silver underneath provide good camouflage. The huge size (up to 2 meters in length and 250 kg of weight) is a consequence of the insatiable appetite and varied diet of this fish. Unfortunately, the delicious meat of bluefin tuna has led to its overfishing, and the population has declined to critical levels. Bluefin tuna are warm-blooded (a rare trait among fish). This quality allows it to feel good both in the cold waters of Newfoundland and Spain, and in the tropical waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea, where it goes to spawn every year.

Bluefin tuna feeds more small fish, as well as crustaceans, squid and eels. Sometimes it does not disdain zooplankton and even algae. The largest tuna was caught in Scotland and weighed 670 kilograms. People have eaten bluefin tuna meat for centuries. However, in the 1970s, the demand and prices for meat of this fish increased throughout the world and its uncontrolled fishing began. As a result, the stocks of this fish have decreased significantly, and the population is on the verge of extinction.

Photo 2.

Demand for tuna in the US and EU countries continues to fall, despite the fact that in 2012 the demand for non-canned fish in the US was even higher than before. In Japan, raw tuna consumption continued to fall over recent years, according to government reports.

Offer and prices

Tuna catches from purse seine fisheries in the western and central Pacific Ocean continued to increase during October 2012. This resulted in an increase in supply raw fish and price reductions. The price for skipjack tuna in November dropped to $2.05 thousand per ton under CFR delivery terms (including freight costs) at the port of Bangkok.

Continuing October trends, catches in the tropical eastern Pacific coast showed a positive trend compared to previous years, allowing for a continued supply of raw fish to Ecuadorian canneries. At the same time, the cost of skipjack tuna in Ecuador when sold on board a vessel remained constant at $2.4 thousand per ton.

Photo 3.

In the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, fishing has been poor after a good start in early October. Initial positive results helped reduce prices for skipjack tuna to 1.76 thousand euros per ton, for yellowfin - to 2.45 thousand euros per ton when loaded onto the customer's vessel (FOB) in the port of Seychelles.

Purse seine fishing in the Atlantic Ocean showed an increase, which resulted in a decrease in prices for skipjack tuna to 1.68 thousand euros per ton when sold on board a vessel in the port of Abidjan. Prices for yellowfin batches of 10 kg and more also fell slightly - to 2.52 thousand euros per ton when sold on board a vessel in the port of Abidjan.

Photo 4.

Japan

With the beginning of autumn, the sashimi market in Japan has seen improvements. Since mid-October 2012, sales have increased both at the Tsukizi fish market and auction and outside it.

Direct sales of cheaper imported tuna have increased outside the auction, with supermarkets and fishmongers becoming the main buyers. In this market segment, relatively inexpensive Mexican bluefin tuna (2.95 thousand Japanese yen per kilogram) was in good demand.

From January to June 2012, the supply of fresh skipjack tuna in Japan decreased by 20% compared to the same period in 2011. As a result of insufficient supplies, the price of fish remained relatively high - at 550-600 yen per kilogram at the Tsukiji market, more than 100 yen higher than last year.

Photo 5.

From June 2011 to June 2012, consumption of bluefin and skipjack tuna in Japan fell by 12% and 11%, respectively. According to another report, the number of sushi restaurants in the country, including traditional sushi bars, decreased by 10% from 2006 to 2011. At the same time, despite a decrease in overall tuna consumption, imports of this fish into Japan (both fresh and frozen) in the first half of 2012 were high compared to 2011.

Photo 6.

The fresh tuna market in the United States is on a recovery trend, reflected in imports of non-canned tuna and tuna products. Although the market supply mainly consisted of cheaper yellowfin, imports of more expensive and higher quality fish - bluefin tuna and bulleye - also increased compared to the same period in 2011.

Imports of frozen tuna fillets and fish steaks also increased by 4% despite a significant increase in the average import value of 50%. It is worth noting that export volumes from the leading supplier - Indonesia - were 33% lower than the previous year. At the same time, supplies from the Philippines and other countries of the Pacific region, including Japan, increased (354 tons in 2012 versus 57 tons from the beginning of 2011).

Photo 7.

Canned tuna

The canned tuna industry is currently under pressure from a variety of quarters. Rising production prices packaging materials, declining consumer demand in major markets, soaring raw material costs, growing demands from environmental organizations and continued negative publicity about tuna consumption have impacted the global canned tuna fish market.

Photo 8.

In the US market, demand for canned tuna remains not very active. In the current economic situation, consumers are reluctant to accept more high cost fish, while supermarkets do not yet have the opportunity to promote this product at a low price, as was the case in the past.

In addition to rising prices, tuna producers are under attack from environmental groups over the fish's alleged high levels of mercury and environmental issues. All this also led to a decrease in tuna consumption.

During the first half of 2012, the volume of imports on the market decreased by 23% compared to the same period in 2011. In monetary terms, imports, however, were not much lower due to higher prices for tuna.

To restore demand, major tuna retailers have introduced new products. The American company Starkist recently began producing portioned tuna dishes, and the “non-perishable” canned goods from the Chicken of the Sea company became a hit on the US market.

Photo 9.

Europe

In addition to the eurozone crisis and rising prices, a negative factor affecting the canned tuna market in the European Union was far from the best weather conditions. Lower consumer spending had a negative impact on sales of prepared tuna cans. This was reflected in a decrease in imports of high-quality canned fish from Spain to Italy: in the first half of 2012, the volume of supplies in this market segment decreased by 11% compared to the same period in 2011. At the same time, supplies from the Seychelles (by 14.8%) and Cote d'Ivoire (by 109%) increased.

As in Italy, in France the main volume of imports was carried out due to an increase in supplies from the Seychelles (which amounted to 30.4%) and Côte d'Ivoire (77%), while import volumes from Spain and Ecuador decreased sharply - by 46.7% and 21.6% respectively. As a result, Seychelles has come to the fore as the main supplier in this market. Overall, imports into France fell by more than 11% between January and July 2012.

Imports of canned tuna into the German market, which is sensitive to changes, also showed negative dynamics (a drop of 11.7%). Also, after significant growth in the previous year, from January to June 2012 the volume of imports into the UK decreased by 11.4% compared to the same period in 2011.

The fall in demand and high prices had an impact on the import of semi-finished tuna fillet products in two main markets - Spain and Italy. In the first half of 2012, imports into Spain from Thailand fell by as much as 80%.

Photo 11.

Asia

High prices for canned tuna, coupled with weak demand in major markets, have negatively impacted canned tuna exports from Thailand. In the first half of 2012, export volumes decreased significantly - by almost 25%. At the same time, in monetary terms it was approximately equal to the figures for the previous year. The United States remained the largest sales market for Asian countries, although supplies here too decreased by more than 10%.

During the first half of 2012, tuna imports to Japan increased sharply - by 13% in volume and by 22.1% in monetary terms compared to the previous year. It reached a figure of 24 thousand tons or 11.9 billion Japanese yen (150 million US dollars). The main players in the market remain three countries - members of the Association of States South-East Asia(ASEAN): Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. They account for 97% of the supply in this segment.

Photo 12.

Prospects

Supplies of raw skipjack tuna were projected to increase in the last quarter of 2012 as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission's ban on fishing with lure devices ended on October 1. At the same time, this cannot contribute to a fall in prices, since demand for raw materials traditionally grows at the end of the year. In the near future, the main growth in tuna sales will be observed in the developing markets of Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, which will compensate for the decline in consumer demand in the markets of the United States and the European Union.

Photo 13.

From the beginning of February, another ban on bluefin tuna fishing comes into force. The chef of the Doucet X.O restaurant talks about why there are so many restrictions on its catch and how blue fin tuna differs from its closest relatives. Said Fadli.

- At what time of year is tuna the most delicious?

The time of year, in general, does not matter. Tuna does not have its own special season, although it is not grown in artificial conditions. For a thousand years, tuna has been caught in the Atlantic Ocean from Iceland to Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean, and in the Mediterranean Sea. It makes no sense to talk about the quality of fish caught in different seas. Tuna is the same everywhere - throughout the year it migrates, travels under water from one country to another. Another thing is important - since the seventies of the last century, Japanese cuisine has become fashionable all over the world. The increased demand for sushi has led to the gradual disappearance of tuna, especially the best blue tuna. Therefore, there are now a huge number of fishing restrictions, and the duration of these bans may vary. Somewhere environmentalists noticed a decrease in the amount of tuna - stop, the fishing immediately stops. For example, from the beginning of February another ban will come into force, and you won’t find fresh bluefin tuna in restaurants during the day.

Photo 14.

Why is blue fin tuna the best?

The three most common types of tuna are blue fin tuna, yellow tail tuna and ahi tuna. Blue fin tuna is the largest of the entire family, simply a huge fish. This type of tuna has red meat and a silver-gray body with blue-gray fins, which is how it gets its name. But the most important thing is the meat, tasty, juicy and tender, like butter. If average weight bluefin tuna weighs 150 kg, then yellowtail weighs about 15. Its skin is lighter and its meat is yellow-brown. The taste of yellow tail tuna is not as rich and intense as its counterpart, one might say, not as prominent, less distinct, lighter, almost transparent. Bluefin tuna prefers the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, while yellowtail prefers the waters of the Pacific Ocean. As for ahi tuna, its taste is more like bluefin tuna (although, of course, it is much inferior to it), and its weight is more like yellowtail. This is a small fish, its meat is red, but not dark. It lives in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and there is also a lot of it in the Mediterranean Sea.

Photo 15.

- By what criteria do you evaluate the quality of bluefin tuna?

Usually it is not possible to see the whole fish - it is too big. But still, of course, you need to smell it and touch it. If the meat is elastic (your finger should not fall into the meat like mashed potatoes), odorless, dark red, almost brown in color, and blood is oozing from the spine - everything is in order, this is fresh fish of excellent quality.

- Which tuna is better - frozen wild or farm fresh?

Well, farmed tuna can't compare to wild tuna! Not a single attempt to grow this fish in farm conditions has yet been successful. It is simply impossible to reproduce the natural taste, texture and aroma of meat. This fish is probably too free and freedom-loving. Bluefin tuna is very large, I personally saw a fish weighing 750 kilograms. Farmers try to ensure that their tuna is not inferior in size to wild tuna by feeding it. The fish grow beautiful, their skin is brighter, but it’s all in vain. Because the taste of farm-raised tuna tastes something artificial, some unnatural additives, and the color of the meat is faded and pink. And although it is much easier to get such tuna than wild tuna, and it costs less, I do not recommend buying it.

Photo 16.

- What dishes besides sushi and sashimi are prepared from tuna?

Any kind! Just fresh tuna with rice is a very common and popular topic now. Tuna can be baked, fried, or cooked with vegetables. In Mexico and Peru they make tuna sandwiches; to do this, you need to marinate it for 4-6 hours in oil, spices and lemon juice. Personally, I really like to lightly sear the tuna for a couple of seconds on each side so that the meat in the middle remains red and raw. The only thing I would like to advise is not to grill yellowtail, its meat dries out very quickly. Yellowtail is good in tartare, ceviche and carpaccio.

- What products, in your opinion, are best to serve tuna with?

It all depends on your preferences. Love Mediterranean cuisine - with olive oil and lemon juice, maybe with vegetables. We are partial to the Asian one - with teriyaki and soy sauce. If you prefer exotic things, then fresh mangoes and avocados are suitable. An excellent option is rolls with fresh tuna and fruit, complemented by mango, avocado, fresh cucumber and a sauce of lychee, vinegar and lemon juice. Niçoise salad is a classic. The tuna should be seasoned with paprika, salt, pepper and olive oil, then grilled until just white. Then add boiled potatoes, beets, green beans, olives, capers and quail eggs. The sauce is made from vinegar, olive oil, balsamic and lemon juice.

Photo 17.

- How is tuna prepared in your native Morocco?

Oh, Morocco makes great tuna steak! First, it is marinated for 3-4 minutes with cilantro, parsley, saffron, ginger, salt, pepper, chili and olive oil. Then it is laid out in the tagine on vegetables - tomatoes, Bell pepper and onions with lemon and garlic, on top - a little olive oil, olives, fish broth. And it bakes for half an hour. Tajine - the national Moroccan tableware - can be replaced by ordinary foil, it will turn out no worse.

Interviewed by Nadezhda SUKHOVA

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A bluefin tuna weighing 222 kilograms, caught off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, was sold for an unprecedentedly high amount at a fish auction in Tokyo. The huge-sized fish went under the hammer for 155.4 million yen (approximately 1.75 million US dollars at current exchange rates).

This is an unprecedented deal in terms of its value. Last year, at the same auction, bluefin tuna went for 56.49 million yen ($736 thousand at the January 2012 exchange rate or $647 thousand at the current rate). At the same time, last year’s record holder weighed significantly more.

For the second year in a row, the owner of the giant fish was the operator of the Kiyomura sushi restaurant chain. The company's chief executive, Kiyoshi Kimura, said the purchase "was a little expensive" but that they hoped to "support Japan by providing (restaurants) with good tuna."

The battle for the biggest bluefin tuna in the first fish auction of the year at the Tsukiji auction is a kind of fun for Tokyo's elite restaurateurs. Trades are not only an important element of city life, but also a colorful spectacle. For a long time, travel companies included their visits in tours for foreigners with great success.
However, due to the bad manners of foreigners, who not only photographed the process, but also sometimes interfered with the auction, trying to get into the front rows and even touch the fish with their hands, the market administration banned tourists from visiting the auction in 2011.

With each passing year, Japan, which remains one of the world's largest tuna consumer markets, is finding it increasingly difficult to secure a reliable supply. The international catch quota is gradually being reduced, while at the same time the demand for this fish is growing in other countries in the Asian region, especially in China.

sources

http://sfera.fm/articles/mirovoi-rynok-tuntsa

http://www.kommersant.ru/doc/641458

http://inokean.ru/animal/fish/59-tunec

And here’s some more interesting information about fish: look here, and here’s how. Do you know what happens? And here it is The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

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Pacific bluefin tuna photo, Pacific bluefin tuna price
Thunnus orientalis
(Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)

(lat. Thunnus orientalis) is a species of the genus of tuna of the mackerel family. It is the second largest member of its genus after the common tuna, with a maximum recorded length of 3 m and a mass of 450 kg. Pacific bluefin tunas live in subtropical, less often in warm temperate and tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean between 52° N. w. and 50° S. w. and between 112° E. long and 77° west d. These schooling pelagic fish are found both in coastal waters and in the open ocean at depths of up to 550 m. They usually stay in near-surface waters. They make seasonal migrations, moving mainly along the coast. Closely related to common and Australian tuna. The diet consists of small pelagic fish and cephalopods. Reproduction by spawning. Valuable commercial species. Due to overfishing received protective status"Vulnerable". Tuna are caught using longlines, purse seines and various hook and line gear. They are a popular sport fishing target. The population is estimated to have declined to 4% of pre-fishing levels in the mid-20th century.

• 1 Taxonomy
• 2 Area
• 3 Description
• 4 Biology
  • 4.1 Features of physiology
  • 4.2 Reproduction
• 5 Human interaction
  • 5.1 Commercial significance
  • 5.2 Conservation measures
    • 5.2.1 Aquaculture
• 6 Links
• 7 Notes

Taxonomy

The species was first scientifically described in 1844 as Thynnus orientalis. The most closely related species are the common tuna and the Australian tuna. Previously, Pacific bluefin tuna and common tuna were considered subspecies; based on molecular and morphological studies, in 1999 they were recognized as independent species. The specific epithet comes from Lat. oriens - “east”.

Area

Pacific bluefin tuna are found primarily in the North Pacific Ocean from East Asia to the coast North America. They are found in the waters of Australia, Guam, Canada, China, Korea, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, USA, Ecuador and Japan. They approach the coast of Russia (Primorye, southern Sakhalin) mainly in the summer months. This pelagic fish is more common in temperate coastal waters and usually does not go deeper than 200 m, although there is evidence of them being at a depth of 550 m.

Pacific bluefin spawn in the northwestern Philippine Sea (off the coast of Honshu, Okinawa and Taiwan) and in the Sea of ​​Japan. Part of a single population migrates to the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean and returns to the spawning area after a few years. Sometimes they sail to the Southern Hemisphere to the shores of Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and the Gulf of Papua.

Description

The largest specimen ever caught was 3 m long, and the largest weighed heavy 450 kg.

Pacific bluefin tuna have an elongated fusiform body, tapering strongly towards the caudal peduncle. Body height is 3.2-4.3 times less than length. The length of the head is 3.2-3.5 times less than the length of the body. Pectoral fins are 4.8-6 times less than body length. The body has an almost circular cross-section. The head is large, conical, the eyes are small, the mouth is large with one row of small pointed teeth on each jaw. The two dorsal fins are located close to each other. The first dorsal fin is long, with a concave edge, and can be folded into a groove running along the back. The second dorsal fin is shorter and sickle-shaped, similar to the anal fin. The lateral line is wavy. The pelvic fins are small and pointed. Between the second dorsal and caudal fins there are 8-10 small additional fins. anal fin with 13-16 soft rays. Between the anal and caudal fins there are 7-9 additional fins. In specimens over 2 m long, the dorsal and anal fins are elongated. The caudal peduncle is elongated, with three stabilizing horizontal carinae on each side: a large middle one and two small ones on either side of it. Adult fish have small eyes. The posterior edge of the maxillary bone extends beyond the vertical of the anterior edge of the eye. The fleshy outgrowths of the outer part of the olfactory capsule are undeveloped. The folds of the mucosa do not have grooves along the edge and are well defined. The coloration is characteristic of pelagic fish: the dorsal surface of the body is dark blue, the upper part of the sides is greenish, sometimes with transverse rows of pale spots, the ventral side is light. The first dorsal fin is yellow or blue, the second dorsal and anal fins are brown. The additional fins are yellow with dark edges. The lower surface of the liver is radially striated. There is a swim bladder. The pectoral fins are small and pointed, not reaching the space between the dorsal fins. In juveniles, the sides are covered with more than 10 transverse dark stripes. Vertebrae 18+21=39. On the front part of the body, the skin is covered with scales, which are greatly enlarged along the lateral line and form a shell.

Biology

Pacific bluefin tuna are schooling pelagic fish that undertake long migrations. Sometimes they form schools with similar-sized tuna of other species - longfin, yellowfin, bigeye, striped, etc. The diet is varied and depends on the food supply in the feeding areas. It is based on schooling pelagic fish that live near the surface of the water (sardine, mackerel, anchovy, sprat, herring) and cephalopods. Sometimes they eat crabs.

Features of physiology

Pacific bluefin tuna are constantly on the move. When they stop, breathing becomes difficult because the gill covers open in accordance with the lateral movements of the body to the left and right. Water passes through the open mouth into the gill cavity only when moving. Tunas are capable of reaching speeds of up to 20-30 kilometers per hour for a short time. In these swimmers (as in mackerel, bonito, swordfish, and marlin), the main locomotor function is performed by the caudal fin, and the short, streamlined body remains almost motionless.

Like other representatives of the genus, Pacific bluefin tuna are capable of maintaining a body temperature elevated relative to the environment due to endothermy. The effect is provided by a complex of subcutaneous blood vessels called lat. Rete mirabile - "wonderful network". This is a dense interweaving of veins and arteries that runs along the sides of the fish’s body and supplies blood to the lateral muscles and the red muscles adjacent to the spine. It allows you to retain heat, warming up cold arterial blood due to venous blood, warmed by the work of muscles. This ensures more heat muscles, brain, internal organs and eyes, which enables tuna to swim at high speeds, reduces energy expenditure and allows them to survive in a wider range of environmental conditions compared to other fish. At the moments of greatest energy expenditure, the body temperature of tuna can be 9-10 °C higher than the temperature of the surrounding water.

Tunas are distinguished by a high oxygen capacity of the blood: the hemoglobin content in the blood of these fish reaches 21 g%, while in bonito fish, which are also excellent swimmers, its concentration is no more than 14 g%. Most fish have white flesh, but tuna have muscle tissue that is colored in different shades of red, from pale pink to dark red. This color is given to the myotomal muscles by the oxygen-binding protein myoglobin, which is found in much larger quantities in tuna meat compared to the meat of other fish. Oxygen-rich blood provides muscles with additional energy. Such a system of blood vessels probably increases the elasticity of the body by filling the surface tissues with blood, which allows the fish to make frequent oscillatory movements of its tails. A similar mechanism has been found in cetaceans.

Reproduction

Pacific bluefin tuna reproduce by spawning. Fecundity depends on the size of the female and ranges from 5 million to 25 million eggs. The spawning season lasts from April to August, but the exact time depends on the specific region. In the northwestern Philippine Sea, tuna spawn earlier, and in the Sea of ​​Japan - later.

Tunas become sexually mature at the age of five years. Generation length is estimated at 7-9 years, and life expectancy according to two independent sources is 15 and 26 years. The length of mature fish averages 1.5 m and weight 60 kg. Two-meter long Pacific bluefin tuna are not considered rare.

Human interaction

Pacific bluefin tuna meat is a delicacy. It is considered the best raw material for sushi and sashimi besides ordinary tuna meat. Raw meat is dark red in color, after heat treatment it turns white or ivory. The texture is dense and resembles beef in appearance. An excellent source of protein (content 23.3 g per 100 g), thiamine, selenium, vitamin B6 and omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. Calorie content 144 kcal. The meat of these fish, like the meat of other tuna, can accumulate mercury and histamine.

Commercial significance

See also Tuna fishery

Tuna have long been and remain an important commercial object. Valued by amateur fishermen. The maximum recorded weight of a trophy fish is 411.6 kg. Tuna are caught using longlines (11%), purse seines (61%) and hook fishing gear (11%). Chilled and frozen carcasses are used in the restaurant business and the production of semi-finished products. Japan accounts for the bulk of the catch, followed by Mexico, the USA and Korea. Fishing in the Southern Hemisphere is small and irregular. In 2000-2004, 16-29 thousand tons of this fish were caught annually.

The Pacific bluefin tuna fishery is supervised by the Central and Western Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission of the Eastern Pacific.

Measures to preserve the species

Unlike common and Australian tuna, the numbers of which declined significantly back in the 70s of the 20th century, the conservation status of the Pacific bluefin tuna did not cause concern until 2011, but by 2014 the species was under threat and the International Union for Conservation of Nature assigned it the status of “Vulnerable.” " It was estimated that in 2010 the volume of spawning biomass was 40-60% of the volume at the beginning of the historical record. In 2013-2014, due to overfishing, the population decreased by 96%. 90% of the catch is young fish. Greenpeace has added bluefin tuna to its Red List of foods that are recommended to be avoided in order to avoid further harm to the ecosystem.

Aquaculture

Japan is not only the largest consumer of Pacific bluefin tuna meat, this country is a leader in the development of aquaculture of this species. In 1979, Japanese scientists managed to breed tuna in captivity for the first time. In 2002, a full breeding cycle was completed, and by 2007 the third generation was already obtained. Captive-bred fry are sold to fish farms. The cost of the fry is about fifty dollars.

Links

• Species Thunnus orientalis in the World Register marine species(World Register of Marine Species)

Notes

1. Reshetnikov Yu. S., Kotlyar A. N., Rass T. S., Shatunovsky M. I. Five-language dictionary of animal names. Fish. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / under the general editorship of academician. V. E. Sokolova. - M.: Rus. lang., 1989. - P. 365. - 12,500 copies. - ISBN 5-200-00237-0.
2. Life of animals. Volume 4. Lancelets. Cyclostomes. Cartilaginous fish. Bony fishes / ed. T. S. Rassa, ch. ed. V. E. Sokolov. - 2nd ed. - M.: Education, 1983. - P. 459. - 300,000 copies.
3. 1 2 3 4 Thunnus orientalis in FishBase
4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Thunnus orientalis: information on the IUCN Red List website
5. Fishing equipment for sea fishing vessels. www.seaships.ru. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
6. International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean. Stock assessment of pacific bluefin tuna 2014.
7. Collette, B. B. (1999). Mackerels, molecules, and morphology. - In Séret, B.; Sire, J.Y. Proceedings. 5th Indo-Pacific Fish Conference: Nouméa, New Caledonia, 3–8 November 1997. - Paris: Société Française d'Ichtyologie, 1999. - P. 149-164. - ISBN 978-2-9507330-5-4.
8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Vasilyeva E. D. Pisces: encyclopedia / edited by. ed. AND I. Pavlinova. - Nature of Russia. - Moscow: AST, Astrel, 1999. - 639 p.
9. 1 2 3 Pacific bluefin tuna, Open Waters, Fishes, Thunnus orientalis at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. www.montereybayaquarium.org. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
10. 1 2 3 4 5 Lindberg G. U., Krasyukova Z. V. Part 4. Fish Sea of ​​Japan and adjacent parts of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and Yellow Sea. Teleostomi. XXIX. Perciformes // Keys to the fauna of the USSR, published by the Zoological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences. - Leningrad: Science, 1975. - T. 108. - P. 268-270. - 463 p. - ISBN 9785458519892.
11. Game fish Russia. two volumes / Ed. O. F. Gritsenko, A. N. Kotlyar and B. N. Kotenev. - M.: publishing house VNIRO, 2006. - T. 2. - P. 882-883. - 624 s. - ISBN 5-85382-229-2.
12. Regular tuna. files.school-collection.edu.ru. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
13. Svetovidov A. Keys to the fauna of the USSR. - T. 86. - P. 387-389. - 554 p. - ISBN 978-5-458-51960-1.
14. Tuna. Types of tuna. Photo of tuna. www.inokean.ru. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
15. 1 2 N.V. Parin. Fishes of the open ocean / Edited by Corresponding Member of the USSR Academy of Sciences A.P. Andriyashev. - Moscow: Science, 1988. - ISBN 5-02-005246-9.
16. 1 2 Cech, J. J.; Laurs, R. M.; Graham, J.B. Temperature-induced changes in blood gas equilibria in the albacore, Thunnus alalunga, a warm-bodied tuna // Journal of experimental biology. - 1984. - Vol. 109, no. (1). - P. 21-34.
17. 1 2 C. A. Sepulveda, K. A. Dickson, D. Bernal, J. B. Graham Elevated red myotomal muscle temperatures in the most basal tuna species, Allothunnus fallai // Journal of Fish Biology. - 2008. - Vol. 73, no. 1. - P. 241–249. - ISSN 1095-8649. - DOI:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.01931.x.
18. 1 2 Tuna - Biology Of Tuna. science.jrank.org. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
19. Fekotistova N. Yu. Hot fish // Biology: newspaper. - 2009. - No. 22.
20. Pacific Bluefin Tuna | FishWatch. www.fishwatch.gov. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
21. Health Canada. A guide to eating fish for women, children and families.
22. Kostylev E.F., Ryabopashko A.P. Biochemistry of raw materials of aquatic origin. - Moscow: Food industry, 1982.
23. IGFA World Record | All Tackle Records | Tuna Pacific bluefin. wrec.igfa.org. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
24. History of the development of the tuna fishery in the World Ocean. DSC Group. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
25. Thunnus thynnus: information on the IUCN Red List website
26. Thunnus maccoyii: information on the IUCN Red List website
27. Sushi eaters pushing Pacific bluefin tuna to brink of extinction. www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
28. Harvey, Fiona. Overfishing causes Pacific bluefin tuna numbers to drop 96% (en-GB), The Guardian (9 January 2013). Retrieved February 29, 2016.
29. Greenpeace Seafood Red list. Greenpeace International. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
30. Breeding the Overfished Bluefin Tuna. LiveScience.com. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
31. Ito, Masami. Does Japan’s affair with tuna mean loving it to extinction? (en-US), The Japan Times Online (August 31, 2010). Retrieved March 3, 2016.
32. The holy grail of fish breeding - Taipei Times. www.taipeitimes.com. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
33. Cultivation, seedling production, and selective breeding of bluefin tuna and other fish at the Kinki University Fisheries Laboratory. www.flku.jp. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
34. The rarest tuna of all - Japan's farmed Kindai. SFGate. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
35. Sergey Syrov. Project TRANSDOTT - creation of aquaculture of Atlantic bluefin tuna. 22century.ru (08/07/2014). Retrieved February 22, 2016.

Pacific bluefin tuna photo, Pacific bluefin tuna price

Pacific Bluefin Tuna Information About

If you love sea fish, and especially tuna, then this article is definitely for you. In it we will tell you that tuna is not only tasty, but also healthy. Let's also share some interesting recipes. True, we will also not forget to warn you, since the meat of this fish also has some dangerous properties. But, fortunately, there are not so many of them.

Description and appearance

Tuna belongs to the mackerel family. It's pretty big fish, some of its individuals grow up to 3-4 m in length and weigh 500-600 kg. Although, in principle, the sizes of these representatives of the family can vary noticeably. There are fish “only” 50 cm long and up to 2 kg in weight. Tuna is a predator with a spindle-shaped body narrowed towards the tail. The caudal stalk is “equipped” with a large leathery keel.

The dorsal fin is shaped like a sickle, which helps in fast and long swimming. This fish is an excellent swimmer, it can accelerate to 90 km/h. Chasing prey, she covers enormous distances without any problems. The main food for her is her smaller brother - sardine, mackerel, and also crustaceans and mollusks.

Habitat

Tuna is found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. But it can also be found in cooler temperate latitudes, for example, in the Black, Azov or Japanese Seas.

Did you know? The French called tuna "veal of the sea." The thing is that the color of the flesh of this fish is not pale, but bright red, like beef, since its meat contains the protein myoglobin, which is saturated with iron. By the way, once upon a time tuna was not very popular. It was first preserved only in 1903 in the USA. And this is only because there was a sharp decline in sardine catches. But over time, people fell in love with this sea fish and became really popular, which it still is today.

Kinds

There are about 50 varieties of tuna in nature, the most basic are:

Composition and calorie content

Tuna meat contains 95%, which is almost completely absorbed by the human body. Fish also contains essential amino acids and a minimum of fat and calories. It is called a dietary product, because 100 g of tuna “stores” only 100 kcal. Therefore, this fish occupies an extremely important place in the diet of athletes. Tuna contains substances that make hair and skin look beautiful and well-groomed - and the latter also activates metabolism. In it you will find almost a complete set of vitamins, and not only them.

Important! Tuna in appearance, taste and even chemical composition similar to animal meat. Therefore, this fish will become a great option for those who for some reason need to stop eating meat.

Useful and healing properties

You already know about the beauty of skin and hair, which tuna helps achieve, and its dietary properties. Now let's talk about the other most useful properties of this inhabitant of the deep sea:

• has a beneficial effect on the system, helps breakdown and normalizes blood circulation;
• helps get rid of skin diseases and other allergic skin rashes;
• tuna has no carbohydrates (only if it is cooked without oil), which makes it healthy for diabetics;
• by eating this fish, you, without knowing it, are preventing cancer, since the enzymes contained in it suppress the activity of free radicals that activate the development of tumors;
• People are advised to eat tuna when they have disorders, as well as;
• removes toxins from the liver, normalizes the production of useful enzymes in it;
• helps overcome high blood pressure;
• protects the bones of old people from osteoporosis and other ailments of the skeletal system;
• helps curb the aging process, helps strengthen the immune system, normalizes metabolism;
• normalizes the reproductive sphere;
• has a positive impact on work.

Did you know? Tuna dishes are an integral part of the diet of students and researchers at Harvard and Berkeley. This fish is certainly present in their menu for productive brain function.

Canned: selection criteria

What you should pay attention to when buying canned tuna:

• First, look at a canned food jar. It is good if there are no side seams on it, since rust appears in these places or the metal oxidizes. Do not take a deformed jar; pressure is redistributed inside such a tin, which has a detrimental effect on its contents.
• The production date is usually squeezed out from the inside of the jar. It must also contain an assortment mark, shift number, and the fishing industry index - the letter R. The marking made with paint must be durable and not wipe off even when exposed to moisture.
• It takes about 3 months for the fish to release its juices and acquire the most delicate taste. It is better to take a jar with a production date - about 3 months ago.
• Shake the jar: if there is a lot of liquid inside, then there will be few fish there.
• If the tin says “albacore”, this indicates that this is definitely tuna and not a fake. You remember that albacore is the most valuable variety.
• Please note the manufacturer. In terms of quality, Japan, Italy, and Spain share the championship here. True, here you can more often find canned goods from Thailand and the Seychelles, where they often skimp on quality. If you see canned food made in the Russian Federation, they are 100% frozen fish.
• Having already opened the jar, examine the meat itself. Tuna is quite large in size, and conscientious producers place it in a container in one piece. This is meat with large fibers, without bones. If there are a couple of pieces in the jar or the fish is flaking, then you have either low-quality tuna or not it at all.

Dangerous properties of meat

Despite all its usefulness, tuna also has dangerous properties. For example, it is better not to eat the meat of very large representatives of this fish, since heavy metals often accumulate in them over their long life. Tuna is contraindicated for women carrying or nursing a child, and small children (less than three years old). And, of course, allergy sufferers and people with individual intolerance to the product should not eat this fish. They say that it should not be eaten by those who suffer from kidney failure. But here it is better to consult with your doctor.

How to cook

Despite the fact that tuna is a fatty fish, after being on the fire for too long, it begins to dry out. So when cooking, keep this point in mind. If you don’t know what to cook from tuna fillet, here are some simple recipes.

Baked Tuna:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees. Grease the baking tray vegetable oil. Cut the fish into steaks, each 2.5 cm thick. Place them in a mold, sprinkle with spices, and grease the top with pre-melted butter. Bake for 7-10 minutes.

Fried:

Heat a frying pan with three tablespoons on the stove. Rinse the fillet under water and let it drain. For better taste, the fish can be breaded in whipped and white-black. Fry each fillet on both sides over medium heat for no more than 12 minutes.

Marinated:

Cut the fillet into slices 2 cm thick and place in a container. Make the marinade. If based on 300 g of fillet, then 30 ml of soy sauce and 30 ml of white wine will be enough. Lightly rub the fish with salt and place in the marinade for a day. To ensure that the fillet marinates evenly, turn it 2-3 times during this time. At the end, drain the marinade and dry the slices. Serve with olive oil. If desired, you can sprinkle a little lemon juice before serving. You can also make canned tuna at home. There is nothing supernatural about this.

Homemade canned tuna:

• tuna - 1 piece;
• salt - 1 tablespoon;
• vegetable oil - 100 ml;
• black pepper (peas), Bay leaf- 8-10 pieces each;
• parchment, baking sleeve.

Free the fish from the intestines and remove the fins. Wash and dry. For canning, we only need the carcass (the head of the fish can be used somewhere else). Cut it into pieces up to 7 cm thick and sprinkle with salt, covering the pieces with a thin layer. Spread the parchment crosswise in a convenient container and pour oil into the resulting recess and add spices. Place the fish there and tie the paper in a knot. Carefully, without turning over, place this bundle in the baking sleeve, secure the edges well, for example, by connecting them at the top with a bun. Place in boiling water so that the package does not touch the bottom. Cook for at least 4 hours over medium heat, adding water from time to time. Take the package out and let it cool. Canned food can be placed in salads, pates, and casseroles.

Canned tuna in olive oil:

• olive oil;
• black pepper (peas);
• jars with lids.

Boil fish without a head and spine with salt (100 g of salt per 1 liter of water) for about half an hour - you need the meat to separate from the bones without any problems. Do not overcook, otherwise the fish will lose its taste and smell. Remove the fish, cool, dry, remove the skin and bones. Divide it into large chunks, removing the black particles. Throw 5-6 black peppercorns into each sterilized jar, and place the fish fillet in it. Try to build two layers, placing everything as tightly as possible. 2 cm to the edge of the jar should remain unfilled. Pour olive oil 5 mm above the fish (there should be more than 1 cm left to the top of the neck of the jar). Let him “rest” a little. Don't forget to remove any air bubbles with a spoon. If necessary, add a little more oil.

Close the jars, lower them into a wide container, first placing a cloth or wooden grid on the bottom, pour in cold water so that it does not reach the edges of the jars. Cover with something on top and sterilize for at least 1 hour from the moment of boiling. Cool the jars without removing them from the container or removing the lids at all. That's it, the product is ready.

Did you know? In the capital of Japan, Tokyo, there is a traditional annual tuna auction. Several years ago, the owners of the Kiyomura Co sushi restaurant chain set a record at this auction, paying $728.1 thousand for one fish. The weight of the sold lot increased by 269 kg. It’s even scary to imagine how much sushi from this fish later cost visitors to the restaurant chain!

Now you know not only about all the beneficial properties of tuna, but also have in your arsenal several tasty and simple recipes. For lovers of sea fish, they will definitely come in handy. Most importantly, do not forget about contraindications!