What Does “A Float of Tuna” Mean?
“Float” is a fitting name for tuna, which spend much of their lives cruising near the ocean’s surface layers in loosely organized groups, often near floating debris or structure, a behavior so well known that fishers use man-made floating objects, called FADs (fish aggregating devices), specifically to attract them.
Tuna are constantly moving, warm-blooded fish, a rarity among fish species, capable of maintaining a body temperature warmer than the surrounding water, which lets them cruise vast distances at high speed without slowing down.
Example: “A float of tuna gathered beneath the drifting buoy, drawn in by the shade and the small fish sheltering underneath.”
Other Collective Nouns for Tuna
Tuna are also referred to as a troup of tuna. Browse the complete Collective Nouns for Fish list.
A Few Tuna Facts
- Bluefin tuna can weigh over 1,000 pounds and swim in bursts approaching 45 miles per hour.
- Tuna are among the few fish species with regional endothermy, allowing them to keep their muscles warmer than the surrounding ocean.
- A single bluefin tuna can sell for tens of thousands of dollars at specialty seafood auctions, particularly in Japan.
Before It Swims Out of Reach…
Fast, warm-blooded, and always on the move, tuna have spent millions of years proving fish don’t have to be cold to be cold-blooded killers.