Reproductive Dynamics and Potential Annual Fecundity of South Pacific Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga)
Open accessAbstract
The reproductive biology of albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga, in the South Pacific Ocean was investigated with samples collected during broad-scale sampling between 2006 and 2011. Histology was done in a single laboratory according to standard protocols and the data analysed using generalized linear mixed-effects models. The sex ratio of albacore was female biased for fish smaller than approximately 60 cm FL and between 85 and 95 cm, and progressively more male biased above 95 cm FL. Spawning activity was synchronised across the region between 10°S and 25°S during the austral spring and summer where sea surface temperatures were ≥24 °C. The average gonad index varied among regions, with fish in easterly longitudes having heavier gonads for their size than fish in westerly longitudes. Albacore, while capable of spawning daily, on average spawn every 1.3 days during the peak spawning months of October to December. Spawning occurs around midnight and the early hours of the morning. Regional variation in spawning frequency and batch fecundity were not significant. The proportion of active females and the spawning fraction increased with length and age, and mature small and young fish were less active at either end of the spawning season than larger, older fish. Batch fecundity estimates ranged from 0.26 to 2.83 million oocytes with a mean relative batch fecundity of 64.4 oocytes per gram of body weight. Predicted batch fecundity and potential annual fecundity increased with both length and age. This extensive set of reproductive parameter estimates provides many of the first quantitative estimates for this population and will substantially improve the quality of biological inputs to the stock assessment for South Pacific albacore.
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Migratory nucleus oocytes are observed as early as 10:30am to 13:00pm in yellowfin tuna and albacore tuna.
“Migratory nucleus oocytes are observed as early as 10:30am to 13:00pm in tunas such as yellowfin tuna and albacore tuna (T. albacores) [24–26].”
From Spawning Dynamics and Size Related Trends in Reproductive Parameters of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
In Results, under “Time of spawning and POF degeneration,” the earliest reported observation of migratory nucleus oocytes in albacore is 1405 hrs (2:05 pm), later than the claimed 10:30 am–1:00 pm window. The cited paper does not provide a corresponding observation time for yellowfin tuna. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredA more protracted spawning season for large fish is not uncommon and has been observed in albacore tuna and other serial spawners such as anchovies, sardines, pilchards, cods and mackerels.
“A more protracted spawning season for large fish is not uncommon and has been observed in albacore tuna [26] and other serial spawners such as anchovies, sardines, pilchards, cods and mackerels (see [30]).”
From Spawning Dynamics and Size Related Trends in Reproductive Parameters of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
The Discussion reports that spawning activity was lower in small, young albacore and says the results are consistent with their having a shorter spawning season on average than larger, older fish. It also says individual spawning-season duration could not be determined directly, so 'has been observed' states the size-related duration difference more firmly than the source does. The other species are attributed to a separate citation [30]. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredSince the size distribution of the SBT spawning stock is monitored annually, this information could be used in stock assessments to provide a time series of relative annual fecundity which takes into account information on demographic variation in egg production.
“Since the size distribution of the SBT spawning stock is monitored annually [26], this information could be used in stock assessments to provide a time series of relative annual fecundity which takes into account information on demographic variation in egg production.”
From Spawning Dynamics and Size Related Trends in Reproductive Parameters of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
Split into 2 atoms — 0 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 1 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThis level of variability in batch fecundity has been observed for many tuna species including bigeye, yellowfin, albacore, black skipjack and skipjack.
“This level of variability has been observed for many tuna species including bigeye [21], yellowfin [25], albacore [26], black skipjack Euthynnus lineatus [35] and skipjack [36].”
From Spawning Dynamics and Size Related Trends in Reproductive Parameters of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii (2015) · cites this paper as [26]
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Cites
Schaefer, K. M. (2001) · Fish Physiology · doi:10.1016/s1546-5098(01)19007-2 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
CHEN, I., LEE, P., & TZENG, W. (2005) · Fisheries Oceanography · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2419.2004.00322.x · Cited by 88 · cited 2× · see citing works
“However, albacore are thought to spawn at depths of ,100–200 m where temperatures are cooler than at the surface [18].”
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Research works printed but not linked: 11
- [6]Hillary RM (2008) Risk assessment of Indian Ocean albacore stock status using an age-structured production model. Working Paper IOTC-2008-WPTe-09, Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Working Party on Temperate Tunas. Accessed 2012 Sep 27.Available: http://www.iotc.org/files/proceedings/2008/wptmt/IOTC-2008-WPTe-09.pdf.
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Farley, J. H., Davis, T. L. O., Bravington, M. V., Andamari, R., & Davies, C. R. (2015) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125744 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
“Since the size distribution of the SBT spawning stock is monitored annually [26], this information could be used in stock assessments to provide a time series of relative annual fecundity which takes into account information on demographic variation in egg production.”
BackgroundSelf-citationSchaefer, K. M., & Fuller, D. W. (2019) · Fisheries Research · doi:10.1016/j.fishres.2018.09.002 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
- Authors
- Farley, J. H., Williams, A. J., Hoyle, S. D., Davies, C. R., & Nicol, S. J.
- Affiliations
- Pacific Community (NC)
- Corresponding author
- Farley, Jessica H.
- Venue
- PLoS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2013-04-02
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- e60577
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3614989
- OpenAlex
- W1992806700
- Cited by
- 80
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 8.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
- Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Aquatic Science › Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Keywords
- albacore tuna, reproductive biology, batch fecundity, annual fecundity, spawning frequency, spawning synchrony, sex ratio, gonad index, spawning season, sea surface temperature, South Pacific
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Body Weight, Female, Fertility, Male, Oocytes, Pacific Ocean, Perciformes, Reproduction, Seasons, Sex Ratio, Tuna
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