Time series of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) catches in Italy from 1970 to 2023 based on FAO FishStatJ data

This study describes the temporal variation in Italian catches of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnusthynnus - Linnaeus, 1758) over the period 1970–2023 using annual data expressed in live weighttonnes derived from FAO FishStatJ. The analysis was designed as a descriptive time series studywith attention to annual catch levels, interannual variability, and differences across decades. Theseries includes 54 yearly observations. The overall mean catch is 4747.89 t and the median is4633.00 t. The maximum value is 10369.00 t in 1976, while the minimum value is 1061.00 t in2010. The graphs show an initial phase of growth followed by a long period characterised by highcatch levels and marked oscillations. A contraction is observed in the late 2000s and is followed bya recovery in the most recent years. Decadal mean catches are higher in the 1980s and 1990s. Theyare lower in the 2000s and reach their lowest values in the 2010–2019 decade. Higher mean valuesare observed in the partial period 2020–2023 compared with the previous decade.