title: Migratory movements, depth preferences, and thermal biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna.
abstract: The deployment of electronic data storage tags that are surgically implanted or satellite-linked provides marine researchers with new ways to examine the movements, environmental preferences, and physiology of pelagic vertebrates. We report the results obtained from tagging of Atlantic bluefin tuna with implantable archival and pop-up satellite archival tags. The electronic tagging data provide insights into the seasonal movements and environmental preferences of this species. Bluefin tuna dive to depths of >1000 meters and maintain a warm body temperature. Western-tagged bluefin tuna make trans-Atlantic migrations and they frequent spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Mediterranean. These data are critical for the future management and conservation of bluefin tuna in the Atlantic.
authors.affiliation: Tuna Research and Conservation Center, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA. bblock@stanford.edu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Block
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dewar
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Blackwell
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Farwell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boustany
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fudge
mesh_terms: D000823:Animal Identification Systems; D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001831:Body Temperature; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004242:Diving; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D005398:Fisheries; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012621:Seasons; D013550:Swimming; D013696:Temperature; D014413:Tuna / Q000502:physiology*