Blackfin Tuna
Thunnus atlanticus
A small, bronze-striped tuna at the northern edge of its range in Virginia's Gulf Stream-influenced water — a less common offshore catch.
Typically present
Illustration: Duane Raver Jr. / USFWS, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — Public domainLong edge is 600px, below this project's 1600px preference. Accepted because it is the best rights-clear, correctly-identified photo found for this species — see SPECIES_PHOTO_AUDIT.md for the source search record.
- Habitat
- Offshore waters
- Methods
- Inshore boat, Offshore
- Difficulty
- advanced
- Eating
- good
Identification
Look for
- Second dorsal and anal fins are not elongated (unlike yellowfin tuna's sickle-shaped ones)
- Long pectoral fin reaches nearly to the start of the second dorsal fin — bluefin tuna's pectoral fin is noticeably shorter
- Bronze stripe along the sides; finlets dark with white edges; grows much smaller than yellowfin or bluefin (commonly under 28 inches)
Local waters
Coastal to offshore Gulf Stream-influenced waters
Primarily a boat fishery here — typically fished by inshore boat, offshore boat.
When to fish
Near the northern edge of this species' typical range in Virginia's offshore Gulf Stream-influenced waters — a documented but less common component of the regional tuna fishery than yellowfin.
Water temperature
The water, not the calendar, sets the season here — a warm October or a cold snap moves these bands.
Water temperature and the seasonsHow to catch it
Primarily a boat fishery here — typically fished by inshore boat, offshore boat. Technique notes for this species have not been written yet; the baits and rigs below are the documented starting points.
Bait & lures
- Trolled small skirted lures or ballyhoo
- Live bait around structure or current edges
On the table
Commonly eaten — always confirm current legal size/possession limits with VMRC or DWR before keeping.
- A federal HMS Angling or Charterboat/Headboat permit is required to retain Atlantic tunas recreationally — see the federal permit link below; check current NOAA HMS bag/size rules before keeping one, since this project did not find a blackfin-specific limit distinct from the general Atlantic tunas permit framework.
Where to try
