Cited by 112Marine and fisheries researchFish Ecology and Management StudiesIchthyology and Marine Biology

Crossing the line: migratory and homing behaviors of Atlantic bluefin tuna

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Rooker, JR, Arrizabalaga, H, Fraile, I, Secor, DH, Dettman, DL, Abid, N, Addis, P, Deguara, S +5 more·2014·Marine Ecology Progress Series

Abstract

Assessment and management of Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus populations is hindered by our lack of knowledge regarding trans-Atlantic movement and connectivity of eastern and western populations. Here, we evaluated migratory and homing behaviors of bluefin tuna in several regions of the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea using chemical tags (δ13C and δ18O) in otoliths. Significant emigration of bluefin tuna from their place of origin was inferred from otolith δ13C and δ18O, with both eastern and western bluefin tuna commonly ‘crossing the line’ (45° W management boundary) in the Central North Atlantic Ocean and mixing with the other population. Several western migrants were also detected in Moroccan traps off the coast of Africa, indicating that trans-Atlantic movement occurs for members of the western population; however, the degree of mixing declined with proximity to the eastern spawning area (Mediterranean Sea). The origin of bluefin tuna collected at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar and from several regions within the Mediterranean Sea (Balearic Islands, Malta, and Sardinia) was essentially 100% eastern fish, demonstrating that natal homing is well developed by the eastern population, with western migrants rarely entering the Mediterranean Sea.

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Crossref · 10.3354/meps10781

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  • Natal homing behavior is beneficial and is considered a strategy used by many organisms, including Tunas, to increase the likelihood of reproductive success and maximize larval survival.

    “natal homing behavior is beneficial and is considered a strategy used by many organisms, including Tunas [12,13], to increase the likelihood of reproductive success and maximize the larval survival.”

    From Environmental Conditions along Tuna Larval Dispersion: Insights on the Spawning Habitat and Impact on Their Development Stages (2022) · cites this paper as [13]

    The Discussion (page unavailable in our copy) says bluefin tuna return to natal sites to spawn and names other marine vertebrates that display homing. It does not say that natal homing increases reproductive success or maximizes larval survival; searches for those outcomes found no supporting passage. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Authors
Rooker, Jr., Arrizabalaga, H., Fraile, I., Secor, D., Dettman, D., Abid, N., Addis, P., Deguara, S., Karakulak, F., Kimoto, A., Sakai, O., Macías, D., & Santos, M.
Affiliations
  • AZTI (ES)
  • University of Arizona (US)
  • Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (MA)
  • University of Cagliari (IT)
  • Istanbul University (TR)
  • Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES)
  • Instituto de Investigacao das Pescas e do Mar (PT)
Venue
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Published
2014-05-14
Volume
504
Pages
265-276
ISSN
  • 0171-8630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1616-1599
OpenAlex
W2032357677
Cited by
112
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 3
FWCI
8.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Marine Ecology Progress Series (publishedVersion)
  • AZTI Institutional Repository (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • OAR@UM (University of Malta) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DIGITAL.CSIC (Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • UNICA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Cagliari) (submittedVersion)
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, transatlantic migration, natal homing, population connectivity, otolith stable isotopes, carbon and oxygen isotopes, emigration, population mixing, Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, fish stock management

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