Parkes High School students controlling the Parkes radio telescope and observing pulsars.
Common name: Southern Bluefin Tuna. Scientific name: Thunnus maccoyii. Family: Scombridae.
Southern Bluefin Tuna: The first Southern Bluefin Tuna (SBT) of the 2012 season were towed into Port Lincoln, South Australia today. According to ABC News reports – the 500 tonnes recorded is the best start to the season in decades.
Follow a SBT via Ocean Tracks HERE. CSIRO SBT research HERE.
Max length : 245 cm; common length : 160 cm; max. published weight: 260.0 kg; max. reported age: 20 years.
They live in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans, mainly between 30°S and 50°S, to nearly 60°S. During spawning, large fish migrate to tropical seas, off the west coast of Australia, up to 10°S. Highly migratory species.
Lower sides and belly silvery white with colourless transverse lines alternating with rows of colourless dots. The first dorsal fin is yellow or bluish; the anal fin and finlets are dusky yellow edged with black; the median caudal keel is yellow in adults.
Spawning fish and larvae are encountered in waters with surface temperatures between 20° and 30°C. An opportunistic feeder, preying on a wide variety of fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods, salps, and other marine animals. Mostly canned.
In Japan it is highly prized for the sashimi markets.
