Bigeye tuna / Albacora Thunnus alalunga

Vernacular names:
Es: Patudo
Fr: Thon obese
In: Bigeye tuna

Local names:
Colombia: Atún
Chile: Atún de ojo grande Bigeye, Patudo, Tuna
Ecuador: Albacora, Atún ojo grande, Bigeye, Patudo, Tuna
México: Atún
Perú: Atún ojo grande, Bigeye, Patudo, Tuna

Commercial names:
Albacore, Bigeye, Tuna, Bigeye tuna

Simile of international trade:
Thunnus thynnus, T. albacares, T. alalunga

Geographical distribution:
Its distribution goes from 32° 43' N to 37° 00' S in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

Habitat and biology:
Lives in oceanic waters, it is a epipelagic and mesopelagic specie, from the surface to 250 m of depth and in temperatures between 13° C and 29° C. Spawns all year round. It feeds on fish, cephalopods and crustaceans.

Length:
Its means length is 160 cm (TL), in the artisanal fishing, predominates specimens of 27 to 89 kg. though there are records of up to 179 kg.

Principal ports of landing:
Esmeraldas, Manta, San Mateo, Santa Rosa, and Anconcito.

Types of fisheries:
Artisanal, industrial and sport.

Fishing season:
All year round, mainly in the second semesters.

Landings:
The annual unloading average in artisanal fisheries is 7560 tons. For the Tunas of genus Thunnus in the artisanal fisheries.

Types of vessel:
Fiberglass and wood boats, balandras (artisanal fleet), purse seiners and logliners ships (industrial fleet).

Importance:
The bigeye tuna (thunnus obesus) and the yellowfin tuna (T. albacares) constitute 60% of the exports of the fresh fish, taking first place by species in the exports.

Processing (fresh and frozen):

H&G:
Headless and gutted, skin on, tail-off.

Loins:
with or without skin, boneless.

Portions:
Skinless or boneless.

Packing:

H&G:
Waxed cardboard boxes, insulated, plastic liner, covered with paper and gel packs.

Loins:
When fresh, in waxed cardboard boxes, insulated, plastic liner, vacuum packed, with gel packs.

Portions:
waxed cardboard boxes, with or without vacuum packed bags.