| English name : |
Big eye |
| Latin name : |
Thunnus Obesus |
| Length (Inches) : |
36-84 |
| Weight (Kg.) : |
90-185 |
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Characteristics :
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It has cone-shaped head with big eyes and a big mouth. It has a thin crescent-shaped tail. Its top is dark blue color, and its underside is grayish color with silvery spots. |
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| Habitat : |
Big eye can be found in cold waters below the upper mixed layers of the ocean. Their big eyes allow them to see better in dim light. The smaller big eye, 20-30 pounds in weight, may be found in shallower waters near the floating objects such as the fish aggregation buoys.
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| Harvest Areas : |
Big eye tunas are mainly caught from the Pacific Ocean between about 35°N and 35°S. In the Atlantic Ocean, they are caught between 50°N and 45°S. |
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| Confusing species : |
Big eye tuna look a lot like Yellow fin. They are hard to distinct sometimes. They swim at greater depth then Skipjack and Yellow fin, and therefore have more fat to insulate them from the cold water. This makes them especially attractive for the Japanese sashimi market. |
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| Product Characteristics : |
The meat turns light gray and somewhat darkish after cooking or grilling. Its color makes it less fit for canning. The color and taste of big fish gets almost near to that of beef. In S-America sometimes baby – Big eye are used for canning, this is still marketed as light meat. |
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| Popular Production Form : |
sashimi |
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| Preparation : |
Big eye is preferred for grilling. It is good for sashimi too. |
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| Sources : |
http://planet-hawaii.com
http://www.atuna.com |
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