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Yellowfin Tuna

Thunnus albacares

Fish · family Scombridae · order Scombriformes

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
Native in
3 states[2]
Longest recorded life
9 years[3]

Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a fish in the family Scombridae[4]. It is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act, and NatureServe records it as native in Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[1][2].

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe for this fish is Least concern[5]. It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. Not being listed under the ESA is a legal fact about the federal list. Listings can change by federal rule.

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[5] Least concern

Where Yellowfin Tuna lives

NatureServe lists Yellowfin Tuna as native in 3 US states and territories: Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[2]. Its state ranks are SNR in Rhode Island, SU in South Carolina and SU in Texas[6]. Observers have sent in the most records from Hawaii, Louisiana, California, Texas and North Carolina[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not how many fish live there[7].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: 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: not recordedNJConnecticut: 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: not recordedDEArizona: 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[6].
Show state ranks (3 states)
StateRankMeaning
Rhode IslandSNRNot Ranked
South CarolinaSUUnrankable
TexasSUUnrankable

Lifespan

The longest recorded lifespan in the AnAge database is 9 years in the wild[3]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].

Trait Value
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[3] 9 years (wild)

When to look for it

Observation records of Yellowfin Tuna in the United States on GBIF are highest in July, August and September[8]. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[8].

January: 4,813 recordsJanFebruary: 4,015 recordsFebMarch: 4,866 recordsMarApril: 5,873 recordsAprMay: 8,276 recordsMayJune: 9,870 recordsJunJuly: 10,809 recordsJulAugust: 11,692 recordsAugSeptember: 10,246 recordsSepOctober: 9,540 recordsOctNovember: 6,727 recordsNovDecember: 4,570 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[8].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January4,813
February4,015
March4,866
April5,873
May8,276
June9,870
July10,809
August11,692
September10,246
October9,540
November6,727
December4,570

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record Yellowfin Tuna as present in 1 park units[9]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

States with the most GBIF observation records: Hawaii, Louisiana, California, Texas, North Carolina[7]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the Yellowfin Tuna endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[5].
Where does the Yellowfin Tuna live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Rhode Island, South Carolina and Texas[2]. Most GBIF records come from Hawaii, Louisiana, California, Texas and North Carolina, which reflects where people report it[7].
How long does a Yellowfin Tuna live?
The longest recorded lifespan in the wild in AnAge is 9 years[3]. This is a record, not a typical lifespan[3].
When are Yellowfin Tuna reported in the US?
GBIF records are highest in July, August and September[8]. Records reflect when people look and report[8].

Facts and sources

  1. Yellowfin 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 Yellowfin Tuna as native in 3 US states and territories: Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas. NatureServe Explorer
  3. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 9 years in the wild. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  4. Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a fish in the family Scombridae, order Scombriformes. NatureServe Explorer
  5. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe state ranks for Yellowfin Tuna (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  7. US states with the most GBIF observation records of Yellowfin Tuna: Hawaii, Louisiana, California, Texas, North Carolina. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  8. GBIF observation records of Yellowfin Tuna in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  9. NPSpecies park lists recording Yellowfin 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.