Yellowtail

Kingfish, Yellowtail Kingfish, Goldstriped Amberjack, Japanese Amberjack

Hamachi, Buri, Kampachi, Hiramasa

The commercial culture of yellowtail, also known as hamachi, amberjack,kampachi, hiramasa, and yellowtail kingfish, occurs in Japan, Korea, Australia, & New Zealan, all of which rely on open net culture. Experimental culture also occurs in other locations, including Latin America and the Mediterranean. In the wild, yellowtail species are carnivorous pelagic fishes that feed on small fish, squid, and crustaceans. While there is some targeted catch of wild yellowtail, yellowtail culture accounts for approximately 75% of the overall yellowtail production.

Operations in Japan have a wild fish input to farmed fish output ratio (WI: FO) estimated to be as high as 20:1 and this feed includes local sardines stocks that are in decline. Most yellowtail farmed in Japan are sourced from domestic wild stocks. The use of marine resources for all species of Seriola cultured in Japan ranks as a “critical” conservation concern resulting in an overall recommendation “Avoid” for farmed yellowtail from Japan regardless of the other criteria.

All operations use open net systems and experience regular escape incidents from yellowtail farms, creating the potential for ecosystem impacts. Japan imports brood stock from other countries, which may impact the genetic structure of wild stocks through mixing with non native escaped fish. Due to the poor status of wild yellowtail stocks in Japan, the risk of escapes of these genetically distinct individuals is a “critical” conservation concern in yellowtail culture in Japan.

In Japan, the culture of Japanese yellowtail has a long history of disease problems, and the risk of disease transfer to the declining wild stocks ranks as a “critical” conservation concern.

The evidence suggests that there are substantial pollution and habitat effects associated with yellowtail culture in Japan because of the high density of production and the use of raw fish as feed. The risk of pollution and habitat impacts for farmed yellowtail in Japan therefore ranks as a “high” conservation concern.

Current management measures are not effectively producing the desired effects and concerns continue regarding reliance on wild stocks, escaped fish, disease, and pollution. Based on widespread environmental deterioration around yellowtail aquaculture operations and declines in wild Japanese yellowtail stocks, Japan’s management regime is ranked “ineffective”.

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