Blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is found at depths of 0–50 m.
Scientific name: Thunnus atlanticus · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 108 cm
The blackfin tuna is an oceanic scombrid found in oceanic waters, sometimes not far from the coast, and recorded from the surface down to 50 m. It forms large mixed schools with the skipjack tuna, and its spawning grounds are located well offshore. It preys on surface and deep-sea fishes, squids, amphipods, shrimps, crabs, stomatopods and decapod larvae. Its range is the western Atlantic, from off Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts south to Trinidad and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, and it is highly migratory. Maximum length is about 108 cm fork length, commonly about 72 cm fork length, and it matures at about 49.4 cm. It is a commercial species and a gamefish, utilized fresh, dried or salted, canned and frozen, with a medium price category; the largest fishery for it operates off the south-eastern coast of Cuba and uses live bait and pole. Fishing vulnerability is moderate at 42 of 100 and resilience medium, and climate vulnerability is high to very high at 75 of 100. IUCN lists it as least concern.
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