Tuna Types: Yellowfin Tuna Facts

Tuna Types: Yellowfin Tuna Facts


Four Interesting Yellowfin Tuna Facts

If you are a fan of seafood, then there is a very good chance that you are a fan of tuna. Tuna is one of the most popular sources of food in the world, to communities and populations who live in or near every major ocean. Millions depend on tuna as a staple of their diets, and for good reason: it is nutritious as well as delicious. One popular type of tuna is called the yellowfin tuna- named, appropriately enough, because of its yellow fins. This article will cover four intriguing yellowfin tuna facts that will shed a little light on this morsel of the sea.

Yellowfin Tuna Facts #1: Bigger Than You Think

Most people, when they encounter tuna, generally find it in tiny pieces, packed in small tins or cans at the supermarket. Therefore, we generally picture tuna as tiny fish swimming in the sea that are scooped up in a big net and used to make the canned tuna we buy. At least, I know I used to picture yellowfin tuna this way. In reality, yellowfin tuna – like most tuna – can become quite large. One of the most interesting yellowfin tuna facts is that these fish have been reported up to 94 inches in length and up to 440 pounds. That is a far cry from the tiny fish we picture in our minds!

Yellowfin Tuna Facts #2: Where They Live

Yellowfin tuna can be readily found in tropical and subtropical waters all over the globe, particularly in the warm waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. Their habitat is best described as being in the epipelagic zone, which represents a zone from the surface of the water down to about 200 meters (656 feet). They also prefer water temperatures ranging from 18 degrees Celsius to 31 degrees Celsius (or 64 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit), and travel everywhere they go in schools with other yellowfin tuna.

Yellowfin Tuna Facts #3: Culinary Uses

Yellowfin tuna, as mentioned above, is a great source of nutritious food for millions across the globe. There are actually two grades of yellowfin tuna that are sold on the market. The first is called ‘sashimi grade’, which is the higher grade. The others are called, appropriately enough, ‘other’, although they are not all created equal either. Sashimi grade tuna, therefore, costs more yet is considered to have a superior taste. You are not restricted to just tuna salad sandwiches, either. Yellowfin tuna is a wonderful meat for grilling, as well as a delicious type of sushi. Yellowfin tuna is also less expensive than bluefin tuna.

Yellowfin Tuna Facts #4: Fast and Furious

In addition to the yellowfin tuna facts above, yellowfin tuna are also extremely strong swimmers. Their powerful and streamlined bodies can propel them through the water at average speeds of 10 mph (16 km/h) and peak speeds of over 50 mph (80 km/h)! This is why yellowfin tuna are prized by sport fishermen; they are sleek, strong, and capable of putting up a monster struggle.

As far as tuna go, yellowfin tuna are perhaps the most commercially important kinds in the world. Many people make a living off of fishing for them, and many more consume them on a regular basis. So, the next time you are shopping for some tasty seafood, remember these yellowfin tuna facts and be sure to give yellowfin tuna a try.