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FISH GUIDE · Sea

Atlantic bluefin tuna: identification, habitat and fishing guide

Thunnus thynnus

Atlantic bluefin tuna is a highly migratory fish. Recreational fishing for it requires specific authorisations and follows annual rules; a catalogue entry permits neither targeting nor retention. The practical example below is limited to the CRRF in English waters, on a vessel holding an MMO permit and with the required trained person aboard. It provides neither French authorisation nor self-directed training in handling the fish.

Catalogue names : Atlantic bluefin tuna. Forms and names may vary between habitats.

Editorial review : · This species guide is not permission to fish. Read the precautions below and check the current rules for your location before targeting a species. Some species or populations are protected.

Geographical distribution

Documented presence includes: temperate and subtropical Atlantic waters ; Mediterranean Sea ; Caribbean Sea. Older Black Sea and Brazilian records are not used as evidence of current presence.

  • Documented presence : temperate and subtropical Atlantic waters
  • Documented presence : Mediterranean Sea
  • Documented presence : Caribbean Sea

Documented areas, not an exhaustive list. Presence in a region does not imply presence in every water body or permission to fish.

Distribution sources

Identification

Thunnus thynnus has a stocky torpedo-shaped body, short pectoral fins, closely spaced dorsal fins and a crescent tail with finlets. Compare several features: albacore has much longer pectoral fins and Atlantic bonito has oblique stripes.

Habitat

Atlantic and Mediterranean, mainly open water with seasonal coastal movements. Pacific Thunnus orientalis is a distinct species.

Diet

Small schooling fish, squid and crustaceans. This diet is not a bait or targeted-fishing recommendation.

Behaviour

It forms schools often made up of similarly sized fish and undertakes long migrations. Observed feeding activity proves neither that the fish are bluefin tuna nor that targeting them is permitted.

Indicative biological size

200 cm common fork length according to FishBase; this measurement is neither total length nor a legal size limit.

Fishing context and precautions

This example concerns only the English CRRF for a vessel holding a valid permit and its trained crew. Mandatory online and in-person training and the code supplied with the permit govern operations; this sheet does not replace them. Angling Trust states in 2026 that the code is a permit condition.

Pointers from the English 2025 code: drifting with bait and a circle hook; other lines cleared on hooking; leader handled only by the designated person; recovery with the head submerged, without a gaff. Dated advice for the trained crew; the code received in 2026 takes precedence.

A distinctive feature

Its eggs and larvae are pelagic: they live in the water column.

Sources and review

Each reference includes its access date. Overall editorial review: . Local conditions and regulations may change.

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