World Record Southern Bluefin on 6kg line: by IGFA

World Record Southern Bluefin on 6kg line: by IGFA

“Aussie angler Bernadette Pedlar caught a 31.34 kg (69 lb 1 oz) southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccyoii) on February 1st while trolling a Williamson skirted lure off Port MacDonnell, Australia with her husband, Michael Pedlar. Equipped with only 6 kg (12 lb) tackle, Pedlar was able to subdue the powerful tuna in only 30 minutes – quite a feat with such under-matched tackle. With the existing women’s 6 kg (12 lb) line class record at 21.69 kg (47 lb 13 oz), Pedlar’s fish is plenty big enough to qualify.” courtesy IGFA

Southern Bluefin Tuna roam the southern oceans and are caught readily off New Zealand and southern Australia. In fact, their population stretches itself right across the southern Indian Ocean, reaching as far as, yes…our South African coastline. And all the way across to south America.

So why do we not see these fish at all, off our coastline?

That question can only be answered by the fact that we have decimated the southern bluefin tuna population.

They only spawn in one area, off northern Oz, between Darwin and Indonesia…very warm conditions for the larvae to survive and grow in.

However, it’s not all totally bad news. Australia and Japan have joined in the quest to close the life cycle of a southern bluefin tuna (bred from larvae to sexually mature – a 12 year process), and Japan have successfully bred three generations in captivity. Clean Seas Limited in Australia are way out there with their aquaculture activities – they even breed the tuna way inland!

Unfortunately there are huge logistical hurdles to breeding and growing wild tuna in captivity, and nothing is cheap or easy.

More info on Clean Seas is available here…

If you would like to become part of a team that has the nigh impossible objective of catching one off South Africa’s coastline, please let us know on umzimkulu@gmail.com.

There are two legal long liners that operate out of Durban harbour, targeting Southern Bluefin Tuna. They have reportedly caught Southern Bluefin within 50kms of the KZN Natal coastline.