Hooked on tuna: People have been harvesting these ocean predators for 44,000 years

Bones in archaeological sites, ancient rock art, paintings on frescos and vases, written historical records and ethnographic accounts all helped researchers recreate a deep history of people and tuna.

By: Emma Elliott Smith, Smithsonian Institution and Torben Rick, Smithsonian Institution, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 12, 2026

Words: 1,296

Last Updated: 5 days, 3 hours ago

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By Emma Elliott Smith, Smithsonian Institution and Torben Rick, Smithsonian Institution

From a humble mayonnaise-laden sandwich to an expensive piece of sashimi, tuna is a prized source of food for people around the world. Once an inexpensive, easily shipped canned protein source, today’s bluefin tunas can fetch millions of dollars at auction. Millions of tons of tuna are harvested every year, supporting a global industry worth around US$40 billion annually.

But tunas are more …

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