What you can do for bluefin tuna

The best Atlantic bluefin tuna choice is that caught legally and over 30kg in size. However, it is virtually impossible for you to know whether tuna has been caught legally or not, or whether filleted and processed tuna came from a juvenile.

So until ICCAT has agreed a satisfactory recovery plan, WWF strongly advises that you avoid Atlantic bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean – unless it is caught using sustainable methods like the traditional tuna traps of Andalusia in Southern Spain. Ask your fishmonger, fish market or sushi restaurant to switch to other species – or other stocks that are sustainably managed.If you want to buy tuna from the fresh fish stand of your supermarket, ask the fishmonger whether the tuna is Atlantic bluefin, and whether it comes from the Mediterranean. If so, WWF advises that you avoid it. Ask your retailer not to stock bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean – until ICCAT agrees a strict recovery plan, or unless it is sustainably caught.

A tin of tuna off the supermarket shelf is very unlikely to be bluefin tuna. Most tinned tuna is yellowfin or skipjack. While these species are in better shape than bluefin, for the best environmental choice, look out for MSC-certified albacore tuna or check out a WWF seafood guide for other sustainable seafood options.