IUCN Red List Listed: Critically Endangered (CR)

Endangered

According to a report by Search Fisheries, the bluefin tuna fishery is very tight at the end of May as the purse seine fleet fishery will officially open.

Spain is the largest fishery for bluefin tuna in the European Union, with 2,411 tons of the entire EU quota of 12,900 tons of bluefin tuna,*** and 178 vessels licensed to fish for the species. However, several species of fish in the mackerel family, including tuna, mackerel and marlin, are facing threats to their survival out of 61 known species. The study points to severe overfishing of some species and the neglect of conservation measures for bluefin tuna because of its high commercial value.

Experts warned that three bluefin tuna species, the southern, Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, are in danger of extinction due to overfishing because of their high commercial value, with the southern and Atlantic bluefin tuna on the brink of extinction. The bigeye tuna is also a vulnerable species, and the yellowfin and albacore tuna are also close to the endangered extinction level and will face extinction if protection measures are not adequate. In terms of other species, the blue and white marlin are also assessed as endangered, with the potential for global extinction.

The new study says the only way to save the southern and Atlantic bluefin tuna is to ban fishing until their populations recover, although doing so would cause an increase in illegal fishing.