【Reading】びんながTuna

【English Name】Albacore Tuna

A small-bodied species belonging to the genus Thunnus, with the scientific name Thunnus alalunga. Its habitat extends across vast tropical and temperate oceans; in the waters around Japan, its main range is the Pacific side south of Hokkaido, while records on the Sea of Japan side are scarce.

A fully mature individual reaches a size of about 140 cm in total length and about 60 kg in weight, but the bulk of the catch consists of young individuals of roughly 50–100 cm in total length, falling within a size range similar to that of skipjack tuna (katsuo). The greatest external feature is its remarkably developed pectoral fins, which extend to a length that easily passes beyond the second dorsal fin. The Japanese name "bincho" (binnaga, literally "long sideburns") derives from the way the shape of these long pectoral fins is reminiscent of sideburns (bin).

Its flesh exhibits a pale, pinkish white, and a soft texture in which the fibers come apart easily stands out. Internationally it is widely valued as raw material for canning, and because its texture resembles chicken, it has long been popularly known by the name "sea chicken." In the world of sushi, well-fattened individuals raised in cool waters are called "bintoro," holding a firm position as one of the standard toppings of conveyor-belt sushi. Its preferred water temperature band is 16–20°C, below the optimal temperatures for yellowfin (kihada) and bigeye (mebachi) tuna, and slightly higher than the water temperature favored by Pacific bluefin tuna (kuromaguro). As for resource trends, in the 2021 IUCN Red List assessment its category was revised to Least Concern (LC).