How Much Do You Know About Tuna?

Various species are prized around the world—but they need better management

Quiz April 30, 2019 Read time:

Projects: Global Tuna Conservation & Improving Management of International Fisheries

Every May 2, people around the globe celebrate World Tuna Day. The United Nations set aside this day to recognize the cultural, ecological, and economic significance of tuna and to highlight the importance of managing these fish stocks sustainably.

Tuna are among the most commercially important fish in the world, with the seven largest fisheries worth approximately $42.5 billion annually. But the huge demand for tuna—primarily as pricey sushi; tuna steaks; and mass-produced, affordable canned fish—has resulted in overfishing and mismanagement of many tuna populations.

But how much do you know about the various tuna species?

Test your knowledge by taking this quiz.

# results title text : Thank you for testing your knowledge. You got {score} out of {total_questions}! # results text : 2|

You missed a few, but thanks for trying.

Overfishing remains the biggest threat to the world’s tuna. Not only is the loss of biodiversity a concern, but the impact of unsustainable fishing threatens the resilience of ocean food webs and the viability of coastal economies.

To help guarantee a sustainable future for these tuna and the fisheries that target them, managers should:

Implement long-term, science-based harvest rules that aim to maintain healthy populations.
Improve monitoring and regulation of how fish are caught.
Reduce the number of sharks, sea turtles, seabirds, and other marine species that are caught alongside the tuna.
Ensure that regulations and polices are followed by all fishermen.

Pretty good, although there’s room for improvement.

To help guarantee a sustainable future for these tuna and the fisheries that target them, managers should:

Implement long-term, science-based harvest rules that aim to maintain healthy populations.
Improve monitoring and regulation of how fish are caught.
Reduce the number of sharks, sea turtles, seabirds, and other marine species that are caught alongside the tuna.
Ensure that regulations and polices are followed by all fishermen.

Congratulations, you’re a tuna expert!

To help guarantee a sustainable future for these tuna and the fisheries that target them, managers should:

Implement long-term, science-based harvest rules that aim to maintain healthy populations.
Improve monitoring and regulation of how fish are caught.
Reduce the number of sharks, sea turtles, seabirds, and other marine species that are caught alongside the tuna.
Ensure that regulations and polices are followed by all fishermen.

# wrong text : Sorry, that's incorrect. # right text : That's correct! # social text incomplete : How much do you know about the various tuna species? Test your knowledge by taking this quiz. # social text complete : How much do you know about the various tuna species? I took the quiz and got {score} out of {total_questions}. Test your knowledge by taking this quiz. ? Which is the largest species of tuna, with some fish weighing more than 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms)? + Atlantic bluefin ! The Atlantic bluefin tuna is an enormous fish that can grow to the size of a small car and travel nearly as fast as one, too. Some weigh more than 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms). These tuna can swim at speeds over 40 mph (64 kph). (!img[](/-/media/post-launch-images/2019/04/tune_quiz_graphics/bluefin_600.png) /!) - Atlantic bigeye - Skipjack - Yellowfin ? Which is the tuna most commonly caught around the world in total numbers and by weight? - Albacore + Skipjack ! Skipjack are smaller than the other tuna species, averaging only a few pounds per fish, but they are extremely abundant. In fact, skipjack is the most commonly caught tuna in total numbers and by tonnage. In 2012 and 2014, this species accounted for more than half of the total volume of tuna landed globally. (!img[](/-/media/post-launch-images/2019/04/tune_quiz_graphics/skipjack_600.png) /!) - Pacific bluefin - Yellowfin ? Of the following, which species is not considered a tropical tuna? + Albacore ! Tropical tuna inhabit warm temperatures. These species include skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye tuna—but not albacore, which live in cooler, temperate waters. (!img[](/-/media/post-launch-images/2019/04/tune_quiz_graphics/albacore_600.png) /!) - Yellowfin - Skipjack - Pacific bigeye ? Which species of tuna brought the highest price for a single fish this year? - Atlantic bluefin - Skipjack + Pacific bluefin ! In January, a single Pacific bluefin tuna sold for $3.1 million during the first auction of the year in Tokyo. Pacific bluefin is also the most depleted tuna species; decades of overfishing have left the population at less than 4 percent of its historic size. (!img[](/-/media/post-launch-images/2019/04/tune_quiz_graphics/bluefin_600.png) /!) - Pacific bigeye ? Which species of tuna can be found swimming with pods of dolphins? - Albacore - Skipjack - Pacific bluefin + Yellowfin ! Large yellowfin tuna swim alongside several species of dolphins in tropical waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean. By traveling together, they reduce the risk of being eaten by large predators but the dolphins face a greater risk of getting caught in tuna purse seine nets. (!img[](/-/media/post-launch-images/2019/04/tune_quiz_graphics/yellowfin_600.png) /!)