Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Meet Dr. Molly Lutcavage and Captain R. Andrew Cummings who you heard featured on the Atlantic Bluefin Tunda podcast episode. We asked them a few questions about their work and their respective projects, and here is what they had to say:

Dr. Molly Lutcavage

Where do you work?

I'm the Director of the Large Pelagic Research Center at the University of New Hampshire

What do you study/ or what inspires you?

I study tunas, sea turtles and sometimes other large marine animals.

What are three titles you would give yourself?

Biological oceanographer, fisheries scientist, and marine ecologist.

What do you like to do when you are not working?

Be on or in the ocean, playing or listening to music, or visiting with friends.

What do you like most about your work?

Learning about the beauty, art, and truth in our natural world, and solving mysteries!

Captain R. Andrew Cummings

Where do you work?

Off the coast of New England as a USCG 50 ton Master and fisherman.

What do you study/ or what inspires you?

A sincere desire to educate the public regarding the fragility and potential sustainability of our oceans.

What are three titles you would give yourself?

Captain, Shellfish Aquaculturist, Conservationist

What do you like to do when you are not working?

When I'm not working on home waters, I'm usually traveling to learn about working foreign waters. Other than that: gardening, reading, writing and photography.

What do you like most about your work?

Traveling and meeting people with similar interest that have new, alternative and progressive ideas to share. Being able to persuade people to sometimes "think outside the box".

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna podcast is brought to you by the Encyclopedia of Life and Atlantic Public Media with a consortium of marine education network partners. This podcast is linked to relevant classroom resources available through our education partners. Each activity also covers one or more of the Ocean Literacy principles.

See below for activities and links to resources:

Activity: Fishing for the Future
Source: Sea Grant Alaska
Overview: In an interactive game students simulate fishery activity to demonstrate the effect of new technology and overfishing. They then rewrite the rules of the game in an effort to establish a sustainable practice.
Age Level: 5th grade
Subject Areas: sustainable seafood
Keywords: discussion, human impacts on marine life, simulation, sustainable seafood
United States National Science Standards:
Ocean Literacy Principles (OLP): 6b, 6c, 6e, 6f, 7c

Activity: Empty Oceans
Source: NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries
Overview: Students research fishing methods and issues surrounding the fisheries and then discuss their findings with other members of the class. They then research fish sold locally and write letters to fish markets about their findings.
Age Level: grades 6-8
Subject Areas: Ocean life
Keywords: bycatch, classroom research activity, discussion, endangered species, human impacts on marine life, presentation, research questions, scientific communication, sustainable seafood
United States National Science Standards:
Ocean Literacy Principles (OLP):  1h, 6b, 6e, 6g, 7c

Activity: How to Catch a Fish
Source: PBS Ocean Adventures,KQED
Overview: After an introduction to the variety of current fishing methods, students learn through an activity about the problem of bycatch and then design a poster or PSA to educate others about the issue,
Age Level: grades 5-8
Subject Areas: Ocean Life
Keywords: art project, bycatch, conservation, demonstration, discussion, human impacts on marine life, scientific communication, sustainable seafood
United States National Science Standards:
Ocean Literacy Principles (OLP): 1h, 6b, 6e, 6g, 7c

Image Gallery:

Images of tuna tagging (courtesy of Captain R. Andrew Cummings)

Audio Extras:

Molly Lutcavage thinks that Bluefin Tuna may not be so endangered as some conservationists fear. They may just be on the move, fleeing an influx of warm water from climate change.

Understanding where tuna are will inform any attempt to rebuild their numbers. Scientists can’t yet follow a tagged tuna for its entire lifespan, but a promising new technology may bring a new meaning to the phrase “fish and chips.” Molly Lutcavage explains.

How can you tell whether a Bluefin Tuna has been caught sustainably? Lutcavage offers pointers for making the sustainable seafood choice.

Cool Facts:

Bluefin Tuna aren’t picky eaters. While they specialize in chasing down prey at high speeds, they’ve also been known to stop by the underwater salad bar, grazing on kelp, or even filter feeding, when given the chance. Learn more..

If they don’t end up in a fisherman’s net or in the stomach of another predator, Bluefin Tuna can reach ages of 30 years in the wild. Learn more...

In order to cope with the cold waters where they live, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna are warm blooded—a rarity among fish. Learn more...

Learn how MIT students designed and built two Robo-Tunas, Charlie I and Charlie II, to help devise better underwater exploration vehicles.Learn more...

To discover more about how our insatiable appetite for sushi is affecting fish stocks, visit www.sustainablesushi.net. You can place a virtual sushi order and test your sustainable sushi smarts.

Watch a video about tagging Bluefin Tuna in the Mediterranean at the World Wildlife Fund’s on the Med Tuna Trail website.