Tuna. Types of tuna

About 50 species of tuna live in the world's oceans. This large fish is one of the main commercial species on Earth. Some tuna specimens grow to astonishing sizes. large sizes. The largest tuna was caught in Canadian waters. Its weight is 667 kg with a body length of 459 cm. For centuries, fishermen around the world have considered tuna an excellent catch.

In restaurants in the USA, Japan and Europe, this fish is considered a delicacy. Tuna is especially prized in Japan, where it is an important dietary element. Fresh tuna is used to make sushi, salads, fry steaks and prepare a lot of other dishes. IN canned tuna is consumed by people in different countries peace.

What does tuna look like and where does it live?

The tuna has a spindle-shaped body with a large, leathery keel on its back. This fish has well-developed blood vessels and blood rich in hemoglobin. This fish is predatory; it eats shellfish, small fish, shrimp and other marine life. Its length reaches 400 cm, and its weight reaches 600 kg. Tuna can be found in all oceans, in the Barents, Japanese and other seas. Tuna reproduces intensively.

The female lays up to 10 million eggs at a time. This is very strong fish, so it’s not easy to get. The fishermen have to endure a whole battle while they pull the giant out of the water. But the spoils are worth it. Tuna has very tasty and healthy pinkish meat. Fishermen from all countries are constantly trying to catch a record-breaking specimen of this fish, but only some of them succeed.

1. The largest Can Foster tuna caught in Canada. This giant fish was caught by Ken Foster in 1979 near the Nova Scotia peninsula in Olds Cove. The huge tuna caught by a Canadian fisherman weighed 677 kg and was 459 cm long. Thanks to this catch, which took him 45 minutes, Can Foster became famous throughout the world.

Inspired by Foster's example, the fishing athlete from the MAYKRA company decided to get the same big fish. After several weeks of fishing on a boat with fishermen from Nova Scotia (Canada), they caught a tuna weighing about 500 kg and 400 cm long.

Before this, they had come across large specimens of tuna, but the boat crew was only allowed to take fish weighing at least 180 kg, which had already given birth several times. The fishermen released the rest of the tuna into the wild. The Canadian government passed such a law in 2010.

3. Donna Pascoe tuna, caught in New Zealand. New Zealand citizen Donna Pascoe and her four comrades caught a Pacific bluefin tuna weighing 411 kg and about 350 cm long. The giant was caught near the Aupouri Peninsula. The battle with this huge fish lasted 4 hours.

This huge specimen was included in the Guinness Book of Records. Donna Pascoe's haul was estimated at $2 million. This tuna would make 2,800 sandwiches or 1,700 cans of canned food. But the fisherman decided to make a stuffed animal out of her. He was given the name Marine Picasso.

The largest tuna sold at auction in Tokyo

• In 2013, a new price record was set. Tuna weighing 222 kg was sold for $1.8 million.
• In 2012, a large tuna weighing 269 kg was sold for 56.49 million yen ($728 thousand). The auction took place at the Tsuzuki Market fish auction.

• In 2017, a huge Pacific bluefin tuna was sold at auction for 74.2 million yen or $640 thousand. He was caught off the coast of Japan and weighed 212 kg.
• The buyer of the huge tuna was the Kiyomura sushi company. Bidding for large tuna in Japan takes place immediately after the new year, and the high price for this fish is considered good sign for the country's economy. A kilogram of such tuna costs up to 8 thousand dollars.

• Trading at the Tsuzuki fish market is a very interesting sight. Lined in rows giant fish sold at auction for gourmets who eat in large restaurants.
• The largest types of tuna are: common tuna (up to 684 kg), blue or Pacific tuna(up to 450 kg), bigeye tuna (up to 210 kg), Australian tuna (up to 260 kg), longfin tuna (up to 60.3 kg).

• Tunas are one of the fastest inhabitants of the ocean. Acceleration helps them develop a large tail. The body's narrow shape makes it possible to overcome water resistance well.
• Most of the time young tuna are kept in warm conditions sun rays water. Large adult fish dive into the depths of the sea for food.

• Tunas are unique bony fish. They can maintain their body temperature higher than the water temperature.
• When moving, the body of the tuna is motionless, only the tail moves.
• Tuna migrate throughout the seasons and swim vast distances in search of food.

• In order to increase streamlining, this fish can hide its fins in recesses on the body.
• Up to 4 million tons of this fish are caught annually in the world.
• Tuna meat in France is compared to veal meat, it contains 95% protein. Tuna is suitable for a diet, because 100 g of this fish contains only 100 kcal.

• Tuna contains iodine and selenium, which are beneficial for the thyroid gland, metabolism and hair nutrition.
• Tuna is good to eat to strengthen the heart and improve brain function. In the USA, the diet of scientists necessarily includes this fish.
• Fresh tuna forms the base Japanese cuisine, thanks to which the Japanese live longer than other people on Earth.

Tuna is one of the largest fish that live in the waters of our planet. This is a commercial fish that feeds many people. IN recent years Tuna catches have increased significantly. Therefore, environmentalists call for strict adherence to the rules for catching this fish. valuable fish so that people can continue to have on the table delicious dishes from tuna.

Tuna is a fish with a torpedo-shaped body that is ideal for constant movement. Moreover, these fish move constantly, without stopping for a minute. The energy that the tuna expends when swimming made its blood several degrees higher than the temperature of the surrounding water.

Tuna move in large schools and cover long distances in search of food, moving at speeds of up to 77 km/h.

Albacore

Albacore is a type of tuna that is sometimes called albacore tuna. This species is distributed in almost all waters of the world's oceans, with the exception of polar regions. Albacore is a fairly small representative of the family, reaching a length of almost 1.5 m. It is a very significant object of industrial fishing due to its high-quality meat. Longfin tuna meat is most widely distributed in the United States, where this species is often simply called “tuna.” Albacore is a favorite trophy of sea fishermen.

Bigeye tuna

Bigeye tuna is a larger member of the family, growing up to 2.5 m. The maximum recorded weight of this fish was 400 kg. Distinctive feature This tuna has a wide fin that has 13 or 14 dorsal spines. During migration, bigeye tuna can descend into cold, deep-sea layers of water, which most species of the family do not visit. In these areas, the tuna actively feeds, while its heart functions more actively, giving vitality to the fish. But the fish cannot stay in the cold depths for a long time and must necessarily warm up in the warmth on the surface.

Blackfin tuna

Blackfin tuna is the smallest. Does not exceed 1 m in length and 20 kg in weight. It lives only in the western Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil. Unlike their counterparts, blackfin prefer to eat small larvae, shrimp, crabs and squid. Of course, they also hunt small fish, but to a lesser extent. This species ages very quickly, and a 5-year-old fish is already considered old.

Bluefin tuna

Bluefin tuna is an inhabitant of the Pacific Ocean. One of the largest and fastest fish. Having warm blood that warms the fish's muscles, giving extra energy, bluefin tuna is fast predator. Its diet is replete with herring, mackerel and squid, which slower predators cannot catch.

Atlantic bluefin tuna

Atlantic bluefin tuna - found throughout the Atlantic. In the past, this type of tuna was found in the Black Sea, but currently the Black Sea population has disappeared. Visually, the bluefin tuna's body is similar to the Pacific bluefin, and in the past they were often confused as one species. This tuna is the most valuable among other species. There are known cases of bluefin tuna carcasses being purchased for more than $100,000. This is the kind of money the Japanese are willing to pay for tuna meat, which is used in preparing many national dishes.

Tunas are a whole tribe of mackerel, covering 5 genera and 15 species. Tuna has long been a commercial fish, according to historical information Japanese fishermen caught tuna 5 thousand years ago. The name of the fish comes from the ancient Greek “thyno”, which means “throw, rush”.

Description and features of tuna

All varieties of tuna are characterized by an elongated body shaped like a spindle, which sharply tapers towards the tail. One dorsal fin has a concave outline and is quite elongated, while the second is sickle-shaped, thin and similar in appearance to the anal fin. From the second dorsal fin and up to the tail another 8-9 tiny fins are visible.

The tail resembles a crescent moon. It is he who performs the locomotive function, while the body, round in diameter, remains practically motionless when moving. Tuna has a large cone-shaped head with small eyes and a wide mouth. The jaws are equipped with small teeth arranged in one row.

The scales covering the body of the tuna in the front part of the body and along the sides are an order of magnitude thicker and larger; they create something like a protective shell. The color depends on the species, but all are characterized by a darker back and a lighter belly.

Tuna fish has a rare property - they are able to maintain elevated temperature body, relative external environment. This ability, called endothermy, is seen only in tunas and herrings.

Thanks to this, tuna can reach enormous speeds (up to 90 km/h), spend less energy on it and adapt to conditions much better environment, unlike other fish.

Helps tuna “warm up” the blood the whole system small vessels, with both venous and arterial blood, which are intertwined and concentrated on the sides.

Warm blood in the veins, heated by muscle contractions, compensates cold blood arteries. Experts call this vascular sideband “rete mirabile” - “magic network”.

Tuna meat, unlike most fish, has a red-pink hue. This is explained by the presence in the blood of fish of a special protein, myoglobin, which contains a lot of iron. It is produced when moving high speed.

IN description of tuna fish It is impossible not to touch upon the culinary issue. In addition to excellent taste qualities, tuna meat is more like beef; French restaurateurs call it “veal of the sea” for its unusual taste.

Meat contains a whole range of microelements, amino acids and vitamins that are beneficial for the body. Regular consumption of it reduces the risk of cancer and heart diseases, improves immunity and improves the condition of the body as a whole.

In the USA, for example, tuna dishes are mandatory on the menus of researchers and university students. The substances included in its composition improve brain activity.

Pictured is tuna meat

• ordinary;
• Atlantic;
• mackerel;
• striped (skipjack);
• longfin (albacore);
• yellowfin;
• big-eyed.

Ordinary tuna - fish size extremely impressive. It can grow up to 3 m in length and weigh up to 560 kg. The upper part of the body, like all fish living in surface waters, is colored dark color. In the case of ordinary tuna, it is deep blue, for which this species is also called bluefin tuna. The belly is silvery-white, the fins are brown-orange.

Common tuna

Atlantic (black tuna) has a length of about 50 cm, with a maximum of 1 m. Of the recorded cases, the largest weighed 21 kg. Unlike others fish family, tuna The blackfin lives only in a limited area in the Western Atlantic.

Atlantic tuna

Mackerel tuna is a small resident of coastal areas: length – no more than 30-40 cm, weight – up to 5 kg. The body color is not much different from the others: black back, light belly. But you can recognize it by its two-color pectoral fins: they are black on the inside and purple on the outside.

Mackerel tuna

Skipjack tuna is the smallest inhabitant open ocean among its own kind: on average it grows to only 50-60 cm, rare specimens - up to 1 m. distinctive feature are dark, well-defined longitudinal stripes on the abdominal part.

Pictured is skipjack tuna

Longfin (white tuna) – sea ​​fish up to 1.4 m long, weighing up to 60 kg. The back is dark blue with a metallic tint, the belly is light. It is called longfin due to the size of its pectoral fins. White tuna meat is the most valuable; there have been cases when Japanese chefs bought the carcass for $100,000.

Longfin tuna pictured

Yellowfin tuna sometimes reaches 2-2.5 m in length and weighs up to 200 kg. It got its name from the bright yellow coloring of its dorsal and anal fins. The body is gray-blue on top and silver underneath. Along the lateral line there is a lemon and blue stripe, although in some individuals it may be absent.

Pictured is yellowfin tuna

Bigeye tuna, in addition to the size of its eyes, has another feature that distinguishes it from its closest relatives. This is deep sea type of tuna fish lives at a depth of more than 200 m, and only young animals stay near the surface. Large individuals reach 2.5 m and weigh more than 200 kg.

Bigeye tuna fish

Tuna Lifestyle and Habitat

Tunas are schooling pelagic, preferring warm water with high salinity. They excellent swimmers, swift and dexterous. Tuna constantly needs to be on the move, since this is the only way there is a sufficient flow of oxygen through the gills.

Tuna migrate seasonally along the coasts and travel considerable distances in search of food. Accordingly, tuna fishing occurs at a certain time when the concentration of fish in the area is maximum. Rarely a fisherman would not dream of doing photo of tuna fish with human height.

water areas, where does tuna fish live?– are huge. Thanks to the increased blood temperature, the fish feels comfortable both at +5° and +30°. The tuna's habitat covers tropical, subtropical and equatorial waters of three oceans: Indian, Atlantic and Pacific. Some species prefer shallow water near the coast, others - on the contrary - simplicity open water.

Tuna nutrition

Tunas are predatory fish. They hunt for smaller prey, feed on a variety of fish, and also like to taste fish. After a couple of seconds, the giant came to his senses and spat out the bird, but the width of his mouth and speed of reaction amazed everyone around him.

Reproduction and lifespan of tuna

IN equatorial zone, tropics and some areas subtropical zone(Southern Japan, Hawaii) tuna spawning occurs year-round. In more temperate and cool latitudes - only in the warm season.

A large female can spawn up to 10 million eggs no larger than 1 mm in size at a time. Fertilization occurs in water, where the male releases his seminal fluid.

After 1-2 days, the eggs begin to hatch into fry. They immediately begin to feed on their own and quickly gain weight. Young animals, as a rule, stay in the upper warm layers of water, rich in small crustaceans and plankton. Tuna reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3 years, lives on average 35, some individuals - up to 50.

Due to environmental degradation and merciless overfishing, many species of tuna are on the verge of extinction. Greenpeace has added tuna to its Red List of foods to avoid in order to preserve the numbers of endangered species and not harm the ecosystem.

Tuna is a genus of fish from the mackerel family.

They are perfectly adapted to their way of life consisting of tireless movement. Their body is dense and torpedo-shaped. The dorsal fin is sickle-shaped and is ideal for long and fast swimming at speeds of up to 77 km/h. This fish sometimes reaches 3.5 m in length.

Tuna live in large schools and travel long distances in search of food.

Tuna is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions of all oceans and everywhere adheres to fairly large depths (up to 200 m or more). Only young individuals of this species live near the surface, forming rather dense flocks. Adult fish probably lead a solitary lifestyle. Tuna breeding occurs in tropical zone and continues throughout the year. Its fertility varies from 2.9 to 6.3 million eggs. Tuna feeds on a wide variety of animals. Especially great value Their food includes deep-sea and semi-deep-sea fish - crabbills, alepisaurs, godwit, hempilidae, as well as squid, pelagic octopuses, and large shrimp.

One of their unusual characteristics is that the energy spent on fast movement makes their blood several degrees warmer than the surrounding water.

In the world market it ranks second among all aquatic products after shrimp.

Useful properties of tuna

Tuna meat has the highest protein content among all fish - 22..26%. In this respect, it can only be equated with the caviar of some species of commercial fish. The fat content of meat ranges from a fraction of a percent to 19%.

Tuna meat contains such micro and macroelements as: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, chlorine, sulfur, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, fluorine, chromium, nickel, cobalt, molybdenum; as well as vitamin B1, B2, B6, B9, PP.

Tuna meat contains all the amino acids necessary for the human body.

Young albacore and bluefin tuna contain unique omega-3 fats that can help cut your risk of heart disease in half. In addition, the omega-3 complex (linoleic, eixapentinoic and doxaexinoic fatty acids) improves eye and brain function, reduces arthritic pain, has anti-inflammatory effects, promotes weight loss and even reduces the risk of certain cancer diseases. Moreover, to achieve a preventive effect, 5.5 grams of omega-3 fats per month is sufficient (which corresponds to 1 can of albacore per month). own juice per week).

Tuna meat is good for the skin and mucous membranes, nervous and digestive systems, regulates blood sugar and exhibits antioxidant properties.

Common tuna or blue (also bluefin, blue, bluefin, red) tuna (lat. Thunnus thynnus) is a species of ray-finned fish of the mackerel family.

Signs. Tuna, like other representatives of this family, has powerfully developed skin vascular system, associated with the choroid plexus of the lateral muscles and the plexus on the inner surface of the liver or in the hemal canal.

Thanks to this development circulatory system The body temperature of the fish is higher than the water temperature.

The body is completely covered with scales (subfamily Thunnini), forming a vaguely defined armor in the form of a bib in the area of ​​the pectoral fins. The pectoral fins are short and do not reach the beginning of the second dorsal fin.

Gill rakers 37. Vertebrae 39-41; behind the dorsal and anal fins there are nine additional fins.

Related forms. Our waters are home to albacore, Germo alamnga, and yellowfin tuna, Neothunnus macropterus. Both species differ from tuna in their long pectoral fins, noticeably extending beyond the beginning of the second dorsal fin. By appearance similar to bonito tuna, Sarda sarda.

Spreading. In Europe - Mediterranean and Black Sea; eastern part Atlantic Ocean, from the coast of Morocco - in the south to Iceland and the northern coast of Norway - in the north (also found off the coast of Murman); North Sea, Kattegat, Baltic Sea; near the Azores and Canary Islands; atlantic coast North America, from Cape Hatteras (North Carolina) to Nova Scotia.

In the Pacific Ocean - along the coast of North America, from lower California (Mexico) to Oregon and off the coast of Asia north to about. Simushira (Kuril Islands).

In Russia, it is distributed in the Black and Japanese (Peter the Great Bay) seas. Enters the Sea of ​​Azov. How rare, in the Barents Sea.

BIOLOGY OF COMMON TUNA

Characteristic. Tuna is a warm-water schooling fish of the surface layers of the sea (pelagic), making significant migrations. The body temperature of tuna is several degrees (up to 9) higher than the temperature of the surrounding water.

Spawning. In the Mediterranean and Black Seas (near the Bosphorus) it occurs in May-July, in the Sea of ​​Japan, apparently, at the end of summer. Off the coast of California, spawning occurs presumably from December to May. Off the coast of Japan, the optimal water temperature in tuna spawning areas is 20-21°.

Development. Pelagic caviar, spherical in shape, with a diameter of 1.05-1.12 mm; contains a drop of fat yellow, with a diameter of 0.25-0.28 mm. The development of eggs lasts no more than two days. Newly hatched larvae are 3 mm long.

The fry grow very quickly, reaching an average weight of 45 g in July, 120 g in August, 300-500 g in September and 900 g in October (Mediterranean Sea).

Height. Reaches a length of 3 m and weighs up to 6 c.

Tuna becomes sexually mature in the third year of life, having a length of about 1 m and a weight of about 15 kg (Mediterranean Sea). Average weight commercial fish off the coast of Japan (southeastern coast of Hokkaido) 37.5-112.5 kg.

Nutrition. Predator. The main food (in the Sea of ​​Japan) is sardines, herring, anchovies. Pursuing these fish, tuna sometimes go north to latitudes that are not usually visited by them. IN northern seas Tuna food also consists mainly of fish: herring, mackerel (mackerel), sprat, sardine, anchovy, garfish, spiny shark, as well as cuttlefish, etc.

Migrations. It enters the Black Sea, to the shores of the Crimea and the Caucasus, from the Mediterranean; occasionally enters the Sea of ​​Azov. Tuna enters the Black Sea from April to early September and returns in early October to the Sea of ​​Marmara, where some of the fish remain for the winter and some go to the Mediterranean Sea. In the spring, with warming, tuna rise to the surface from the depths where they spent the winter, and then approach the shores.

In the Sea of ​​Japan in winter it stays near southern parts coast of Japan to 32° N. latitude, in the spring it begins to move north and in the summer it reaches 46° N. w. During feeding migrations to the north, tunas come close to the shores along with schools of fish that they feed on.

Young tuna are found near east coast Korea in waters with temperatures from 5 to 20° (in the largest quantities at a temperature of 10-15°). The optimal water temperature for adults is 15-17°, fluctuations from 10 to 27°.

In the Sea of ​​Japan off the coast of Russia, tuna are found from late May to September in Peter the Great Gulf and further north; in the bays of Preobrazheniya, Valentin, Vladimir, Vanina, tuna appear in large schools, sometimes grouping into huge schools near the islands of Peter the Great Bay.

COMMON TUNA FISHERY

The importance of tuna in the world fishery is very great, especially due to the high value of its meat, which is almost entirely canned. In the seas of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 250 thousand quintals are mined different types tuna (genus Thunnus and related ones); also in the pool Mediterranean Sea about 40 thousand c and in the seas Pacific Ocean 1000-1200 thousand centners (1935-1939).

There was no special tuna fishery in Russia, but it was apparently possible to organize it.

Technology and progress of the fishery. In California in 1937, a special tuna fleet open sea consisted of 70 ships. 50 of these vessels, more than 90 feet (27 m) long, are equipped with diesel engines, are fast and are capable of going out to sea at a distance of up to 3 thousand miles, making voyages of 6 - 8 thousand miles. The catch per trip is 1.5-3.5 thousand. c. In Japan, off the coast, tuna is caught with stationary coastal traps (stoshi-daibo-ami), in the open sea with purse seines, floating nets, and hook gear.

In southern Europe and off the coast of Africa, tuna is caught in madrags (set nets) from May to July, that is, during the spawning period or immediately after it ends. During the rest of the year they fish with hook and line gear.

Usage . Tuna meat is divided into light (white) and dark (red). Light meat is fattier than dark meat, its fat content reaches 12-14%. The meat is mainly used for the production of highly valuable canned food (in oil), and is partially consumed fresh.