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

Common name - Yellowfin tuna

Scientific name - Thunnus albacares

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

Yellowfin tuna is a valuable species often substituted for bluefin in restaurants, sold as steaks in supermarkets, and canned. The species is moderately vulnerable to fishing but is poorly managed in many areas where it is fished. The best choices for yellowfin tuna are pole & line caught or non FAD associated purse seines, as longline fisheries and FAD associated purse seine fisheries have significant impacts on threatened, endangered and protected species such as marine turtles, sharks and seabirds (See fishing methods for details). Yellowfin from the Indian Ocean stock is overfished and should generally be avoided. with the exception of pole & line caught, troll and handline caught fish. The Maldives currently has a ban on net fishing in its waters and is also a good choice. Always look for dolphin friendly tuna.

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.