From The Conversation · Emma Elliott Smith · · 1m 30s
Tuna fishing history spans 44,000 years
Ancient tuna fishing traces back 44,000 years to East Timor.
In brief
Ancient tuna fishing traces back 44,000 years to East Timor. People have harvested tuna for 44,000 years, with evidence from East Timor dating to 44,000 years ago. Originally reported by The Conversation.
Tuna fishing history
People have harvested tuna for 44,000 years, with evidence from East Timor dating to 44,000 years ago.
Tuna as global food
Tuna is used in mayonnaise sandwiches and expensive sashimi, with bluefin tunas fetching millions at auction.
Tuna species and size
Tuna includes 15 species, with Pacific bluefin reaching 10 feet and living over 40 years.
Tuna migration patterns
Pacific bluefin migrate 5,000 miles across the northern Pacific in months.
Tuna as ocean sentinels
Tuna are apex predators that serve as sentinels of ocean health.
Earliest tuna fishing
Archaeologists found skipjack tuna bones in Jerimalai Cave, East Timor, 44,000 years ago.
Ancient tuna fishing in Europe
Ancient Greeks used tuna for sacrifices to Poseidon, with bones found in Greek caves.
Mediterranean tuna fishery
By 3,000 years ago, Mediterranean bluefin tuna fisheries were large-scale with trade networks.
Pacific bluefin fishing
Indigenous people in Nuu-chah-nulth territory fished Pacific bluefin for 6,000 years.
Modern tuna industry
Tuna fisheries now support a global industry worth US$40 billion annually.
Tuna conservation status
Three tuna species remain endangered, vulnerable or near threatened.
Sustainable fishing future
Effective governance and monitoring may stabilize tuna populations despite intensive harvests.
The headline
People have harvested tuna for 44,000 years, with evidence from East Timor dating to 44,000 years ago.
