Yellowfin tuna

황다랑어

The yellowfin tuna is a large tuna with bright yellow fins and finlets, swimming fast in schools across tropical and subtropical seas. It can reach speeds of about 75 km/h and grows to more than 2 m long.

See it on the 3D globe →

At a glance

Class: Fish
Lives in: Indian Ocean near the Maldives
Diet: Fish eater
Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN LC)
Habitat: open ocean

Quick answers

Where does the Yellowfin tuna live?

It lives in the open ocean of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. On the globe you can find it near Indian Ocean near the Maldives.

What does the Yellowfin tuna eat?

Its diet: fish eater.

Is the Yellowfin tuna endangered?

It is listed as Least Concern (IUCN LC).

The yellowfin tuna is a large tuna of tropical and subtropical open seas around the world. It is named for its bright yellow second dorsal fin, anal fin and finlets. Its body is dark metallic blue on top and silver below.

It can pass 180 kilograms, and has been recorded up to about 2.4 metres and 200 kilograms. The current rod-and-reel record is 200.94 kilograms, caught off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in 2024. It is a fast, powerful swimmer that travels in schools, often with dolphins. It lives in warm waters and is a favourite catch of anglers and fishing fleets alike.

Where does it swim?

Yellowfin live in the surface layer of the ocean, above the thermocline, and most stay in the top 100 metres. How deep they go changes with the time of day.

On the card, a school is shown near the Maldives in the Indian Ocean. Sonic tracking showed that yellowfin mostly stay in the top 100 metres, unlike bigeye tuna. Yellowfin are strong swimmers that school in the open sea.

Names and mix-ups

In Hawaii it is sold as ahi, a name also used for the bigeye tuna. Its species name albacares means 'white meat', which can be confusing because the albacore is a different tuna.

In French, the yellowfin is called albacore, and Portuguese fishermen call it albacora. Wild-caught yellowfin is an important food fish in many countries. Its scientific name Thunnus albacares is used in books and markets worldwide.

Fun facts

It is named for its long, bright yellow fins, and schools often swim together with dolphins.
The yellowfin record weighs about 200 kilograms.
It is called ahi in Hawaii.
Its fins can look like sickles when it is fully grown.