Dispatch Method:

The eating qualities of yellowfin tuna can be greatly improved if they are killed immediately by iki jime before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding. A firm knock on the head may be required to stun larger fish first before attempting iki jime.

Fish Description:

• Metallic dark-blue dorsally, silver-yellow on sides with a silver belly that often has numerous vertical white lines on juveniles. Dorsal fin, dorsal finlets, anal fin and anal finlets bright yellow.
  
• Yellowfin tuna are a very fast growing fish. They mature between 70 and 100 cm fork length at 2-3 years old.
  
• Like most other tunas, this species is a warm blooded fish. The dark red swimming muscles in the centre of the fillet help maintain their body temperature 2-3°C above that of the surrounding water.

Fish Distribution:

• This species occurs worldwide in tropical and warm-temperate offshore waters in all the worlds major oceans except for the Mediterranean Sea.
  
• Schools of juvenile yellowfin often concentrate around isolated features such as offshore islands, seamounts, floatsam and fish attraction devices (FADs).
  
• The day to day movements of this species is influenced by thermal boundaries, including thermoclines and oxyclines (changes in dissolved oxygen levels).

Fish Size Common Length:

60-120 cm (2-4 feet), maximum size 210 cm (7 feet) and 200 kg (440 lb). World record 193 kg (427 lb) from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.