Skipjack tuna | Good Fish Guide | The consumer guide to sustainable seafood

Common name - Skipjack tuna

Scientific name - Euthynnus pelamis, Katsuwonus pelamis

Average rating

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Consumer Information

Tuna belong to the Scombrid family and are related to mackerel. They are large, oceanic fish and are seasonally migratory, some making trans-Atlantic journeys. Tuna is highly sought after and forms the basis of many world-wide fisheries. World catches have doubled in the last decade. All 7 commercially fished species are under pressure and 5 are listed by the IUCN (World Conservation Union) as threatened species: Bigeye are slower growing than either Skipjack or Yellowfin and Pacific Bigeye are listed as Endangered; Northern Bluefin is listed as Critically Endangered in the Western Atlantic and Endangered in the Eastern Atlantic; Southern Bluefin are listed as Critically Endangered; Pacific Bluefin are also a large species with low resilience to fishing; Skipjack and Yellowfin, although relatively resilient to fishing are overfished in many areas or their status has not been properly assessed. Increase the sustainability of the Skipjack or Yellowfin tuna you source by choosing line or troll-caught and ‘dolphin-friendly' tuna. The troll/pole and line Pacific Albacore tuna fishery is certified to the MSC standard as a well-managed and sustainable fishery. Tuna farming or ranching of Southern and Northern Bluefin relies on capture of juveniles from the wild, which are then transferred to sea cages to grow. Avoid eating.

Summary

Skipjack tuna is a fast growing species with a moderate to high resilience to fishing, and is therefore one of the best choices out of the commercially fished tuna species. Skipjack now accounts for the bulk of the world's tuna catches and all stocks are in a safe state, either under-fished or fully fished. Although currently in a good state, inadequate management and stock assessment for all skipjack stocks is an issue. For a species which represents the bulk of world tuna catch and consumption this is unacceptable, and needs to be addressed as increasing pressure is put on the species with a growing global population. Skipjack is predominantly caught using pole & line and purse seines. Pole & line is the best method to choose, as this is a very selective method with little bycatch. If you choose purse seine, make sure it is non FAD (Fish Aggregation Device) associated, as this type of purse seining has a much higher rate of bycatch, often including other species of fish, juvenile tuna, sharks, turtles and dolphins.

Alternatives

(Based on method of production, fish type, and consumer rating: only fish rated 3 and below are included.)

Albacore tuna
Bigeye tuna
Common dolphinfish or dorado or mahi mahi
Skipjack tuna
Yellowfin tuna

Visit Fishonline, the website for the seafood industry, for more detailed information about this species.