The ingestion of large plastics by recreationally caught southern bluefin tuna Thunnus maccoyii off southern Australia

The occurrence of plastic ingestion by fish is increasing around the world, however there are currently very few studies focusing on the ingestion of macro (>20 mm) and mega (>100 mm) plastics in pelagic predatory fish, particularly in Australian waters. Further to this, information on plastic ingestion in recreationally caught fish is deficient. We report on two cases of macroplastic ingestion and another case of megaplastic ingestion by southern bluefin tuna Thunnus maccoyii (Castelnau, 1872), caught recreationally in Tasmania and Victoria. The plastics ingested ranged from 62 to 283 mm. Despite the large obstructive shapes of the pieces of plastic, all three specimens possessed a healthy body mass, with one actively feeding at the time of capture. These preliminary records contribute to the limited information on the effects of plastic pollution on high value recreationally and commercially important pelagic fish in Australia.

Automated summary

Plastic ingestion by pelagic predatory fish, especially in Australian waters, is a growing concern. This study reports on cases of macroplastic and megaplastic ingestion by southern bluefin tuna, contributing to the limited information on the effects of plastic pollution on commercially important pelagic fish in Australia.