Mamuju, West Sulawesi — Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) landed by handline fishers in Sumare Village, Mamuju Regency, were dominated by large and mature-sized fish, according to a 2026 study by Hasbiana Anwar, Femiliani Novitasari, and Widya Utami of Universitas Muhammadiyah Mamuju. The researchers examined 350 tuna caught during 30 fishing trips between January and February 2026 and found that 96.3 percent had reached the study’s defined catchable size of at least 100 centimeters in fork length. The findings provide local biological and catch data that can support efforts to manage yellowfin tuna fisheries in the Mamuju area.
The study, published in the International Journal of Applied Research and Sustainable Sciences (IJARSS) in 2026, examined three important aspects of the tuna fishery in Sumare: the size of fish being landed, the relationship between fish length and weight, and overall catch production.
For Anwar, Novitasari, and Utami of Universitas Muhammadiyah Mamuju, combining these three types of information provides a more detailed picture of the yellowfin tuna landed by local handline fishers and can contribute to site-specific fisheries management.
Mamuju Is an Important Tuna Fishing Area
Mamuju Regency has more than 500 kilometers of coastline along Mandar Bay. Its waters support several economically valuable fish species, including yellowfin tuna.
Sumare Village is one of the tuna landing locations in the region. The village is situated on the coast of Mamuju and directly borders the Makassar Strait, an important fishing area for tuna. Local fishers commonly use handline fishing gear to target yellowfin tuna.
The importance of monitoring the fishery is also reflected in changes in tuna production. Data cited by the researchers from Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries show that tuna landings in Sumare increased from 727.21 tons in 2020 to 2,944.68 tons in 2023, before falling to 1,610.99 tons in 2024.
Changes in production can be influenced by several factors, including fishing intensity, ocean conditions, seasonal patterns, the availability and movement of fish, and the effectiveness of fishing gear.
For that reason, information about the size and biological condition of landed tuna can be useful when evaluating the condition of local fish resources.
Researchers Measured 350 Tuna
The study was conducted in Sumare Village, Simboro District, Mamuju Regency, West Sulawesi, from January to February 2026.
Researchers collected tuna samples from two active handline fishing vessels that landed their catches at the study site. Observations covered 30 fishing trips.
For every sampled fish, the researchers recorded standard length, fork length, total length, and body weight. Production information was also obtained from the Mamuju Marine Affairs and Fisheries Office and the local fish landing site.
The 350 sampled yellowfin tuna had a fork length ranging from 95 to 165 centimeters, with an average of 141.1 centimeters.
Their body weight ranged from 13.5 to 129.9 kilograms, with an average weight of 72.8 kilograms.
Half of the Tuna Were 150–165 Centimeters Long
The size distribution showed a clear concentration of larger fish.
Of the 350 tuna examined:
- 175 fish, or 50 percent, measured 150–165 centimeters in fork length.
- 70 fish, or 20 percent, measured 130–150 centimeters.
- 70 fish, or 20 percent, measured 110–130 centimeters.
- 35 fish, or 10 percent, measured 95–110 centimeters.
The researchers noted that the dominance of larger fish may be related to the characteristics of handline fishing. The gear can be relatively selective toward larger tuna, particularly when larger live bait is used.
The weight distribution showed a similar pattern. 91 fish, or 26 percent, weighed at least 100 kilograms, while another 86 fish, or 24.6 percent, weighed between 80 and less than 100 kilograms. Overall, 50.6 percent of the sampled tuna weighed more than 80 kilograms.
Tuna Production Reached 25.4 Tons
Across the 30 fishing trips, the two handline vessels landed a total of 25,466 kilograms of yellowfin tuna, equivalent to about 25.47 tons.
The average catch was 848.9 kilograms per trip, with an average of 11.7 tuna per trip.
Catch levels varied between trips. The highest production was recorded on the ninth trip, with 1,185.6 kilograms from 16 fish. The lowest occurred on the first trip, with 631.7 kilograms from nine fish.
The researchers linked these differences to changing weather and ocean currents, tuna migration and schooling behavior, and the experience of fishers in identifying suitable fishing grounds and timing their fishing operations.
Tuna Showed Positive Allometric Growth
The study also examined how the weight of yellowfin tuna changes as their length increases.
The analysis produced a growth coefficient of 3.8453, above the reference value of 3. The researchers therefore classified the sampled tuna as showing a positive allometric growth pattern.
In simple terms, this means the fish's weight increased faster than its length as it grew larger.
The length-weight analysis also produced an R² value of 0.9784, indicating a strong relationship between fork length and body weight within the sampled fish.
According to Anwar, Novitasari, and Utami, the result may be associated with favorable feeding conditions and environmental factors that support biomass accumulation. However, the finding represents the fish sampled during the study period, and conditions may vary across seasons and locations.
96.3 Percent Reached the Study's Catchable Size
One of the study's most notable findings was the proportion of tuna that had reached the defined catchable size.
Of the 350 fish examined, 337 or 96.3 percent measured at least 100 centimeters in fork length. Only 13 fish, or 3.7 percent, were below that threshold.
The researchers used 100 centimeters in fork length as the catchable-size reference based on the length associated with first gonadal maturity cited in the study.
The average fork length of the sampled tuna, at 141.1 centimeters, was substantially above that reference point. The researchers interpreted the dominance of larger fish as a positive indication for local fishery management, while also emphasizing the importance of maintaining careful management as fishing activity continues.
Local Data Can Support Sustainable Tuna Management
The findings provide a detailed snapshot of yellowfin tuna landed at Sumare Village during the first two months of 2026.
For Universitas Muhammadiyah Mamuju researchers Hasbiana Anwar, Femiliani Novitasari, and Widya Utami, information on fish size, weight, growth patterns, and catch production can help build a more specific understanding of the local tuna fishery.
The dominance of mature-sized tuna is encouraging from the perspective of the study, but it does not by itself establish the long-term condition of the entire yellowfin tuna population in the region. Continued monitoring across different seasons, fishing grounds, and years would provide a broader picture of stock dynamics.
The researchers therefore emphasize the importance of using biological and fisheries data when evaluating the sustainability of yellowfin tuna resources around Sumare and the wider Mandar Bay area.
Author Profile
Hasbiana Anwar, Femiliani Novitasari, and Widya Utami are affiliated with Universitas Muhammadiyah Mamuju, West Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their article focuses on yellowfin tuna biology, fish size structure, length-weight relationships, catch production, handline fisheries, and fisheries resource management. Femiliani Novitasari is listed as the corresponding author.
Research Source
Article Title: Size Structure and Catch of Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Landed in Sumare Village, Mamuju Regency
Authors: Hasbiana Anwar, Femiliani Novitasari, Widya Utami
Affiliation: Universitas Muhammadiyah Mamuju, Indonesia
Journal: International Journal of Applied Research and Sustainable Sciences (IJARSS)
Publication Year: 2026
Volume: 4, No. 7
Pages: 673–682
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijarss.v4i7.24
Official Journal: https://ijarss.my.id/index.php/ijarss/index
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