This guide was created to assist recreational fishers and fishing clubs in identifying species of tuna that are less than 30 kg using external features of freshly caught fish. The range of juvenile tunas has been increasing and some recreational fishers may catch these for the first time. There is a recreational bag limit of one southern bluefin tuna per person per day and the need for fast identification and live release is increasing.
This guide was produced for Fisheries New Zealand project STN2021/02.