Why are dead tuna fish washing up on the beaches of Cadiz?

Beachgoers have been surprised to see the remains of the tuna, a fish that can weigh up to 400 kilos, on the province's shores

La Voz

Cadiz

Friday, 31 May 2024, 09:46

Two tuna fish have been found dead on the beaches of Cortadura and La Victoria in the Andalusian city of Cadiz. One was found in the vicinity of the Bebo los Vientos beach bar. In recent weeks several specimens of this fish have shown up on different beaches along the coast of Cadiz province.

It was Francisco Piniella, former dean at the University of Cadiz, who published the image of one of these tuna. Beachgoers were surprised to see the remains of the tuna, a fish that can weigh up to 400 kilos.

Aparecen dos atunes muertos en la playa 🐟 #playadelavictoria y #playacortadura #cadiz pic.twitter.com/xjiyeNH4WB
— Paco Piniella (@pacopini) May 26, 2024

The appearance of these tuna washing up on the shores of Cadiz's beaches does coincide with the almadraba fishing season of bluefin tuna. Since April the specialist almadraba fishing fleets in the province of Cadiz have been out at sea carrying on with the 3000-year-old traditional form of trapping the bluefin tuna. The high concentration of tuna being trapped in the main nets for an excessive amount of time can lead to a high death rate and those tuna might be washed ashore.

On the other hand, orcas are the primary predator of tuna. It is very likely that these tuna have been attacked by orcas on their way to the Mediterranean from the North Atlantic to their spawning grounds. The orca, or killer whale, is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family.

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