Wild & ranched Southern Bluefin from the Bight vs imported Yellowfin and Bigeye from various Pacific and Indian Ocean fleets.
How Southern Bluefin Tuna compares to imported equivalents on key nutrients.
Imported yellowfin and bigeye are cheaper because of larger global supply, mixed long-line fleets and lower CCSBT-style traceability requirements. SBT is a closed, quota-managed sashimi-grade product.
kg CO₂e per kg
Long-line tuna chains can be very fuel-intensive depending on fleet and freezing.
Source: ICCT air-freight emissions
Australian FTE jobs per tonne (Port Lincoln cluster)
Source: FRDC economic contribution
days harvest-to-plate (fresh sashimi)
Methodology: SBT carbon includes pen-feeding cycle. Imported tuna carbon assumes long-line fleet plus air freight.
Australia: Pen feeding 3–6 months; harvest by ike-jime methods
Imported: Mixed; long-line fleets carry bycatch and labour concerns
Australia: Low under CCSBT CDS
Imported: Moderate; tuna is a top-mislabelled species globally
Australia: Every fish electronic-tagged under CCSBT Catch Documentation Scheme
Imported: Variable; rarely cage- or vessel-level
Australian SBT is the gold-standard for traceable, quota-managed tuna. Imports are cheaper but carry significant labour, bycatch and origin-fraud risks.