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Five of the eight species of tuna are on the brink of extinction
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which has released its new Red List of Threatened Species, most tuna species are in urgent need of protection. Five out of eight species are currently threatened with extinction or are about to become so, Agence France Presse reports.
The southern bluefin tuna is nearly extinct, with little hope of recovery. As a result, the species is listed as Critically Endangered. The Atlantic bluefin tuna, whose southern and northern populations have been severely depleted by uncontrolled fishing, is also officially listed as Endangered.
Other tuna species are under intense pressure from high-tech factory ships that ply international waters in search of rare fish, including the bulleye, classified as vulnerable, as well as yellowfin and albacore. Both of the latter species are listed as Near Threatened, as is the striped marlin. The makaira, white marlin and blue marlin are listed as vulnerable.
Over the past half-century, about 90 percent of large fish species have been depleted by industrial fishing. Marine biologists warn that if fishing continues at the current rate and scale, the decline in many species will be irreversible. In the case of tuna alone, the most effective way to avoid collapse is to stop catching it until stocks are restored to normal levels.