Adult little tunas range from the 2- pound bullet mackerel to the 40- pound skipjack tuna. Mature tunas begin at 20 pounds (blackfin tuna) with the bluefin being the heavyweight of the group reaching nearly 1,500 pounds.

Despite the wide variation in adult sizes, all tunas begin life at the same size and in much the same manner. Tunas disperse their buoyant eggs, which are about one millimeter in size, into the open sea. A single bluefin tuna may produce in excess of 25 million eggs per spawn. After drifting in warm ocean currents for up to three days, young tuna eggs hatch.

Beginning with food within the yoke sac, tuna gradually change their diet from the smallest members of the planktonic community, to larval crustaceans and fish, to small fish such as anchovies, sardines, herrings and squid. As tuna become larger, they seek larger and larger prey. Feeding constantly, tunas grow quickly. Yellowfin tuna may reach more that 140 pounds in four years and bluefin, which may live 20 years, generally weigh more than 700 pounds by their 14th year.

Dolphin occur in all tropical and subtropical oceans of the world. Whereas the smaller pompano dolphin is primarily an oceanic fish, the common dolphin frequently enters coastal waters. The range of the common dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus, in the western Atlantic is from George’s Bank, Nova Scotia, to Rio de Janeiro, Argentina. Dolphin are prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean Sea.

Dolphin occur in all tropical and subtropical oceans of the world. Whereas the smaller pompano dolphin is primarily an oceanic fish, the common dolphin frequently enters coastal waters. The range of the common dolphin, Coryphaena hippurus, in the western Atlantic is from George’s Bank, Nova Scotia, to Rio de Janeiro, Argentina. Dolphin are prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean Sea.

The wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri, with an elongated cylindrical-shaped body built for speed, is one of the fastest fish in the sea. Unlike the dolphin’s brilliant blues, greens and yellows, with every fish portraying individual markings, the wahoo is uniformly colored with dark iridescent blue vertical bands on its sides, over a body coloration grading from steel or metallic blue dorsally into a silvery underside. Wahoo have a distinctively long snout, with large, razor-sharp teeth.

Wahoo occur year-round in the Gulf Stream waters off the southeast coast of the United States. This species does not travel or gather in large schools, but is abundant off the Carolinas during spring and summer, although never as abundant as tuna or dolphin. Wahoo are primarily caught by recreational fishermen and as by-catch by commercial tuna and dolphin vessels.

The wahoo’s rapid growth rate, great speed and large teeth all are indicative of a top level predator. Wahoo consume smaller bullet and frigate tuna, king and Spanish mackerels as well as jacks, butterfish, flying fish and herrings. After their first year of life, wahoo average about 3½ feet and weigh around 15 pounds. Two-year old fish average about 35 pounds. Most wahoo taken off the Carolinas are less than four years old, but occasionally older and larger fish are taken.

Dolphin, wahoo and most tunas, especially yellowfin, are delicious grilled, boiled or baked. In the past, offshore fishermen trolling for billfish often caught these fish in abundance whenever available.

The establishment of the Blue Water Conservation Award within the Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series however, has encouraged the tag and release of these species. Boats fishing in the Series can accumulate points for the tag and the release of dolphin, wahoo and yellowfin and qualify for a separate trophy. This incentive has inspired many anglers, whether fishing in tournaments or not, to keep just a few of these “meat fish” per trip, while releasing most of their catch.

Increasing fishing capacity of domestic and international vessels, coupled with the ever increasing demand for marine fish for food and angling pleasure, long ago dispelled the concept that our oceans’ resources are limitless and can provide an endless bounty of seafood. The increasing number and size of ocean-going fishing vessels and the development of sophisticated electronic devices to locate and track marine fish throughout all the world’s oceans has clearly demonstrated that we now have the capacity and ability to overfish and deplete the ocean’s natural resources.

Bluefin tuna in the 1960’s accounted for as much as 80 percent of the domestic tuna landings in the western Atlantic. Today this species accounts for less than 10 percent. Bluefin tuna breeding populations declined 90 percent between 1975 and 1992. Other highly prized marine fish, such as swordfish, blue and white marlin, several species of sharks and many other marine fish also are currently being overfished.

The realization that ocean fishery resources are finite and their capacity to be harvested has been reached or exceeded, has and will result in increasing conflicts both between nations and various domestic user groups. Recent actions by International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas to strengthen its ability to penalize countries which do not comply with fishery management measures should help with conserving these fisheries stocks in the future. However, all nations and all fishermen, both commercial and recreational must do their part to conserve and protect these resources for future generations. It is difficult for recreational fishermen who individually harvest a limited number of fish to appreciate the total impact of tens or hundreds of thousands of recreational anglers, each taking just a few fish. It is far easier to see and understand the impact of a commercial fishing vessel coming to port with several days’ or weeks’ catch, all being off-loaded at one time.

In order to sustain marine fisheries for future generations, effective management depends on all user groups working together to develop a fishing ethic which promotes wise use and conservation practices that will both provide fish for the market place today and insure healthy populations of fish in the future.

Although most people once considered ocean resources to be unlimited, recent rapid declines in the populations of many commercial and recreational species have demonstrated the opposite.

Numerous types of saltwater game fish now are being over harvested and other species will face a similar fate unless all anglers practice wise conservation and adopt an ethical approach to fishing.

Size and catch limits, seasons and gear restrictions should be adhered to strictly. These regulations change from time to time as managers learn more about fish life histories and how to provide angling opportunities without depleting stocks.

The challenge of catching, not killing fish, provides anglers with the excitement and the reward of fishing. Undersized fish, or fish over the limit should be released to ensure the future of fish populations. The number of saltwater finfish tagged and released annually in South Carolina has increased significantly in recent years as more and more fishermen take up this practice that provides information on growth and movement of fish as well as conserving resources.

Saltwater fishermen can further contribute to conservation by purchasing a Marine Recreational Fisheries Stamp which is required to fish from a private boat or gather shellfish in South Carolina’s saltwaters. Funds generated by the sale of stamps must be spent on programs that directly benefit saltwater fish, shellfish and fishermen.

This publication was made possible in part with funds from the sale of the South Carolina Marine Recreational Fisheries Stamp. Help ensure outdoor enjoyment for future generations by strictly adhering to all rules, regulations, seasons, catch limits and size limits. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources publishes an annual Rules and Regulations booklet that lists all saltwater fishing regulations. Have an enjoyable fishing trip by reading these requirements before you fish.