【Reading】めばちTuna

【English Name】Bigeye Tuna

Mebachi-maguro (bigeye tuna) is a saltwater fish of the genus Thunnus of the family Scombridae, with the scientific name Thunnus obesus. Its large, round eyes are the origin of its Japanese name, and likewise its English name "Bigeye tuna" directly expresses the size of its eyes.

It is widely distributed across the tropical to temperate zones of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans, but its presence in the Mediterranean has not been confirmed. Adults reach about 2.5 m in total length and about 210 kg in weight, a medium-sized tuna characterized by a stout, deep-bodied build. It has a distinctive migratory pattern of swimming in the deep layers at depths of around 300 m during the day and rising to the surface layer at night.

When served as a sushi ingredient, its strength is its vividly colored red meat (akami); while it does not have as much fat as kuromaguro (bluefin tuna), it offers a clean and refined taste. Demand tends to grow in spring and summer, when the quality of bluefin tuna easily declines, to take its place.

In catch volume it ranks second among tuna after yellowfin and accounts for about 30% of domestic distribution. On the other hand, it is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and sustainable resource management is cited as an urgent issue. Note that, out of consideration for the small amount of mercury contained in fish flesh, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare advises pregnant women to take about 80 g about once a week as a guideline.