Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Tuna
One of the most popular fish used in sushi, tuna is known for its strong flavor and deep red color. But there’s plenty more to this beautiful fish than its great taste and nutritional content. Did you know that a full-grown bluefin tuna can grow up to 6 ½ feet long and weigh 550 pounds? Or that they can reach speeds of more than 40 miles per hour? Read on for more cool tuna facts!
Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Tuna
They’re Big
Bluefin tuna can grow to be more than 6 feet long and over 500 pounds. The largest tuna ever caught was an Atlantic bluefin that weighed 1,496 pounds!
They’re Expensive
Tuna supports a $7.2 billion dollar industry. The most expensive tuna ever sold was a 593 pound bluefin, sold in Japan for $736,000.
They’re Fast
Tuna can swim at speeds of more than 40 miles per hour. They achieve these speeds by retracting their dorsal and pectoral fins, which reduces the drag they create.
They’re Omnivores
That’s right, tuna eat other fish. They also will eat shellfish, squid, and even eels. But they also eat plankton, kelp, and other vegetable matter in the sea.
They’re Warm Blooded
Tuna are warm-blooded, which means they can regulate their own body temperature, a rarity among fish.
They’re Endangered
Because of overfishing, tuna are actually endangered. Bluefin tuna numbers have dropped 90% since the beginning of the 20th century.
They’re Nomads
Tuna are constantly migrating to spawn. Some tagged tuna have been tracked from North America to Europe and back several times a year.
They’re Camouflaged
Tuna’s dark blue and silver-white colors help obscure it from predators in dark waters.
They’re Healthy
Packed with Omega-3’s, vitamins B12, D, calcium and iron, tuna is great for those looking to eat healthy.
They Have a lot of Relatives
There are seven species in the Thunnus genus, and when you include fish defined as “tuna-like” this number grows to 61.
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Sources
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/bluefin-tuna/
http://www.seashepherd.org/blue-rage/bluefin-facts.html
http://oprt.or.jp/eng/tuna-facts/
http://www.spc.int/oceanfish/en/tuna-fisheries/tuna-species