Natal Homing and Connectivity in Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Populations
Abstract
Atlantic bluefin tuna populations are in steep decline, and an improved understanding of connectivity between individuals from eastern (Mediterranean Sea) and western (Gulf of Mexico) spawning areas is needed to manage remaining fisheries. Chemical signatures in the otoliths of yearlings from regional nurseries were distinct and served as natural tags to assess natal homing and mixing. Adults showed high rates of natal homing to both eastern and western spawning areas. Trans-Atlantic movement (east to west) was significant and size-dependent, with individuals of Mediterranean origin mixing with the western population in the U.S. Atlantic. The largest (oldest) bluefin tuna collected near the northern extent of their range in North American waters were almost exclusively of western origin, indicating that this region represents critical habitat for the western population.
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All adult fish from the eastern bluefin tuna stock are presumed to spawn in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer.
“All adult fish from the eastern stock are presumed to spawn in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer (Oray & Karakulak 2005, Rooker et al. 2008, Alemany et al. 2010).”
From Comparison between environmental characteristics of larval bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus habitat in the Gulf of Mexico and western Mediterranean Sea (2013) · cites this paper as Rooker et al. 2008
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References 18 · Cited by 297
- Authors
- Rooker, J. R., Secor, D. H., De Metrio, G., Schloesser, R., Block, B. A., & Neilson, J. D.
- Affiliations
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada (CA)
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University, 5007 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551, USA.
- Corresponding author
- Rooker, Jay R.
- Secor, David H.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2008-10-31
- Volume
- 322
- Issue
- 5902
- Pages
- 742-744
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W1973236920
- Cited by
- 297
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 16.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ichthyology and Marine Biology
- Keywords
- Thunnus thynnus, natal homing, population connectivity, critical habitat, fisheries management, population decline (ecology)
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Atlantic Ocean, Carbon Isotopes, Fisheries, Homing Behavior, Mediterranean Sea, Otolithic Membrane, Oxygen Isotopes, Population Density, Population Dynamics, Reproduction, Tuna, Likelihood Functions, Ecosystem, Animal Migration
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