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Neritic tuna contributes substantially to the total fish landings of Pakistan. It is estimated that neritic tuna alone have a share of about 44.32 % in the total landings of tuna in 2019. Of the five species of neritic tuna, longtail tuna (Thunnus tonggol) contributes 3,242 m. tons in 2019 as compared to 11,985 m. tons in 2018. Landings of frigate tuna (Auxis thazard thazard) during 2019 was recorded to be 7,619 m. tons (10,986 m. tons in 2018). Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis) landings in 2019 was 1,236 m. tons as compared to 4,123 m. tons in 2018. Other two species i.e. bullet tuna (Auxis rochei) and striped bonito (Sarda orientalis) contributed insignificantly in the total tuna landings of Pakistan.
Landings of neritic tuna were observed to have decreased in 2019 by 55.34 % as compared to 2018. This decrease in landings is attributed to many factors including early closure of the fishing season in early April 2019 and its continuation till late August 2019 because of low catches and fluctuating low prices of tuna in the market as well as annual close season (June and July). Environmental factors including high temperature during August to October and unprecedented massive jellyfish bloom of Crambionella orsini during October and December 2019 (and even onward in 2020) forced fishermen to stop or limit fishing operations during 2019.
Longtail tuna, since fetch higher prices like tropical tuna in local market, therefore, fishermen tend to fish in the areas known for high catches of this species. There are two main peak seasons of longtail tuna; first peak in the catch was observed between March and May and second during September and December; with little decrease during November. The size range of longtail tuna was observed to be between 21 and 96 cm with peak at 66 cm. The paper also discuses about fishing grounds of longtail tuna.
