Catch of the Day

prawns black tiger 13/15 - Gordon's Bay Fisheries, Gordon's Bay, Western Cape, Helderberg, South Africa [© 2010 Paul Godard]

FISH & SEAFOOD : FRESH OR FROZEN

Gordon’s Bay Fisheries is a proud supplier of fresh fish as well as fresh and frozen seafood products.

Yellowfin Tuna [fish]

Thunnus albacares

tuna - Gordon's Bay Fisheries, Gordon's Bay, Western Cape, Helderberg, South Africa [© 2010 Paul Godard]

Other Common Names

Albacore/Grant Fouet (France), Aleta Amarilla/Rabil (Spain)

Other Scientific Names

Scomber albacares, Germo albacares, Neothunnus albacares

Etymology

Thunnus - Ancient name for tuna
Albacares - Meaning growing white
Yellowfin tuna – Named according to its bright yellow fins and tuna is derived from its scientific name - Thunnus

Features

The yellowfin tuna is a fish built for speed and endurance, having dark red muscular tissue. Its streamlined body is metallic dark blue on the back, blending into yellow or silver on the belly, and a golden stripe runs along each side of the body, from the eye to the tail.

Size : 150 cm | Weight : 68 kg

Ecology

Generally occur in tropical and subtropical waters at depths to 250m, but they prefer to stay in the nutrient and oxygen rich surface layers - depths less than a 100m. The main diet of the yellowfin tuna includes juvenile fishes, pelagic crustaceans, and squid.

Distribution

Tuna are targeted in South Africa from Skeleton coast to Mozambique where they are caught with hand reels, rods, pols and long lines.

Regulation

Minimum legal size - 3.2kg in total weight
Bag limit for recreational fishing - 10 per person.