Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Fact Sheet - ICCAT

Atlantic bluefin tuna are remarkable animals. They race across the ocean like supercars, reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers an hour. They can dive to depths of 500 to 1,000 meters and migrate thousands of kilometers a year between where they spawn and breed and where they feed. Bluefin tuna have captivated the imagination since the time of Aristotle. But since World War II, overfishing, facilitated by high-tech fishing techniques and ballooning fishing capacity, has brought populations of these ocean giants precariously close to collapse. Swift action is needed now to protect Atlantic bluefin tuna or it is likely to disappear from our seas and our menus forever.