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Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus thynnus

Fish · family Scombridae · order Scombriformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Bluefin Tuna
Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
6 states[2]
Longest recorded life
15 years[3]

The Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a fish in the family Scombridae, also called the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna[4][5]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe records it as native in 6 US states and territories[1][2].

Conservation status

The US Fish and Wildlife Service data show that Bluefin Tuna is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal fact about federal listing. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[6]. NatureServe state ranks are SNR (not yet ranked) in Delaware, Maine, New Jersey and Rhode Island, and SU (unrankable for now) in South Carolina and Texas[7].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[6] Least concern

Where Bluefin Tuna lives

NatureServe lists Bluefin Tuna as native in Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[2]. This is where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. People have reported the most observations on GBIF in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and New York[8]. Those counts follow how much people look and report, not how many fish live there[8].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: native, state rank SNRMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: not recordedMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: native, state rank SNRNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: native, state rank SNRRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: native, state rank SNRDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: native, state rank SUSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: native, state rank SUTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[7].
Show state ranks (6 states)
StateRankMeaning
DelawareSNRNot Ranked
MaineSNRNot Ranked
New JerseySNRNot Ranked
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaSUUnrankable
TexasSUUnrankable

Lifespan

The longest recorded lifespan for Bluefin Tuna in the wild is 15 years in AnAge[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[3]. Females reach sexual maturity at about 1,368 days[9].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 15 years (wild)
Female maturity[9] 1,368 days (about 3.7 years)

When to look for it

GBIF observation records of Bluefin Tuna in the United States peak in April, May and June[10]. These records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[10].

January: 208 recordsJanFebruary: 341 recordsFebMarch: 625 recordsMarApril: 1,315 recordsAprMay: 875 recordsMayJune: 1,380 recordsJunJuly: 744 recordsJulAugust: 459 recordsAugSeptember: 109 recordsSepOctober: 240 recordsOctNovember: 613 recordsNovDecember: 194 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[10].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January208
February341
March625
April1,315
May875
June1,380
July744
August459
September109
October240
November613
December194

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Bluefin Tuna as present in 1 park units[11]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York[8]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Bluefin Tuna endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data[1]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[6].
Where does the Bluefin Tuna live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[2]. The states with the most GBIF records are Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and New York, which reflects observer effort[8].
How long does a Bluefin Tuna live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild is 15 years in AnAge[3]. That is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].
When are Bluefin Tuna reported most often?
GBIF records in the United States peak in April, May and June[10]. Records reflect when people look and report, not how many animals there are[10].

Facts and sources

  1. Bluefin Tuna is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe lists Bluefin Tuna as native in 6 US states and territories: Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 15 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a fish in the family Scombridae, order Scombriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. Other English names listed by NatureServe for Bluefin Tuna: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. NatureServe Explorer
  6. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  7. NatureServe state ranks for Bluefin Tuna (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  8. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Bluefin Tuna: Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, New York. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  9. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 1,368 days (about 3.7 years). AnAge
  10. GBIF observation records of Bluefin Tuna in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  11. NPSpecies park lists recording Bluefin Tuna as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.