SCOMBRIDAE Tunas and mackerel

Most species in this family of medium to large size fish form large schools and feed in mid-water where they hunt fish or feed on planktonic forms. They are important commercial fish, generally caught in nets.

Frigate Mackerel Auxis thazard

Dorsum black-blue to metallic green with darker oblique bands. Silvery-grey to white below lateral. Spinous first dorsal deeply concave with 12 spines. Pelagic but also comes close inshore where it hunts in shoals for small fish, shrimp, and cuttlefish. 100 cm.

Eastern Little Tuna, Bonito or Kawkawa Euthynnus affinis

Dorsum black-blue to metallic green with darker oblique bands. Silvery-grey to white below lateral. Spinous first dorsal deeply concave with 12 spines. Common off the UAE’s two coastlines, pelagic but also comes close inshore where it hunts in shoals for small fish, shrimp, cuttlefish. 100 cm.

Narrow-barred Spanish Mackerel Scomberomorus commerson

Dorsum black-blue to metallic green with numerous vertical variegated bands. Silvery-grey to white below lateral. Spinous first dorsal; second dorsal and anal fins pointed. Pelagic but smaller specimens also close inshore, especially in strong tidal flows. Shoal predator, feeding on fish, shrimp and cuttlefish. 235 cm.

Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares

Dorsum black-blue to metallic green with golden-yellow laterally. Dorsal and anal fins bright yellow. Larger specimens develop elongate second dorsal and anal fins. Generally small fish in Arabian Gulf to 10 kgs, whilst up to 30 kgs off east coast. Oceanic pelagic shoal predator, feeding on fish, shrimp, and cuttlefish. 195 cm.