Genevieve Tucker, age 13, of Tacoma, Wash., for her question:
WHAT DOES THE TUNA EAT?
Tuna rank among the most highly developed fishes. They live in the tropical and subtropical waters in all parts of the world. The tuna feeds mostly on squid and smaller sea animals.
Tuna are the only fish that have body temperatures that are higher than that of the sea. An albacore tuna has a body temperature up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit higher than that of the surrounding water.
Large tuna are popular with fishermen because of their fighting spirits. They are also ranked among the swiftest fishes of the sea.
A bluefin tuna sometimes grows more than 10 feet long and may weigh as much as 1,000 pounds. It is regarded by sportsmen as the prize sports fish of the Atlantic Ocean. This hardy tuna has been known to swim as far as 100 miles in a single day.
The tuna has a streamlined body shaped much like that of the ordinary mackerel, but thicker. The tuna, by the way, belongs to a group that includes mackerels, horse mackerels and bonitos.
The tail of the tuna is so widely forked that it looks almost like a half circle. For this reason, the fish can be easily recognized.
You'll find the tuna living as far north as Newfoundland and Norway in the Atlantic and British Columbia and northern Japan in the Pacific.
For many years, the spawning or egg laying habits of the tuna were a mystery. Today scientists know that the yellowfin tuna spawn in May through October in the central Pacific. In the eastern Pacific they lay their eggs from late winter to early spring. In the Philippines, where there are 21 kinds of tuna and tunalike fish, spawning takes place from December through February.
Japan is the world's leading tuna fishing country, with the United States in second place.
The most important tuna fisheries in the U.S. lie off the California and New England coasts. The most important in Europe are in the Mediterranean sea where the fish are captured in nets.
The flesh of the tuna is sold fresh, canned or frozen. It tastes somewhat like chicken. Canned tuna is very popular when used as a salad ingredient.
The tuna is sometimes called a "tunny."
The yellowtail tuna, another of the fish that are highly prized by sportsmen, grow to be six feet long and weigh.up to 300 pounds.
After Japan and the United States, other leading countries with tuna fishing industries, in the order of their importance, include Taiwan, South Korea, Spain, France, Peru, Maldives, Ecuador and Senegal.