Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Population

Bluefin tuna (thunnus thynnus) is found in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Tunas can live up to 40 years and grow over 4 m and weight more than 600 kg, yet typical specimen is half that size. In the Atlantic the species is divided into two stocks - Eastern and Western. It is estimated that the bluefin tuna poplation has fallen by 80 % since 1970s [1]. Bluefin tuna is extremely popular especially in japanese cuisine.

Problem definition

It is thought that the numbers of tuna populations have plummeted due to overfishing. Yet some studies claim, that overfishing is not the main cause of the tuna population reduction. Christelle Ravier and Jean-Marc Fromentin in their paper "Long-term fluctuations in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean bluefin tuna population" came to the conclusion that the bluefin tuna population may be influenced by biotic and environmental factors more than by overexploitation. Therefore, the aim of this simulation is to create a model based on available data to answer the question, whether overfishing is truly the only reason of tuna population decline.

Method

papers, source data

Citations

[1] European Commission. (2016, September 16). Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) [Text]. Fisheries - European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/marine_species/wild_species/bluefin_tuna_en