Tuna: Skipjack

Aku, Aku jerky, Canned light tuna, Arctic bonito, mushmouth,
ocean bonito, skipjack, skippy, striped bonito, striped tuna, victor fish, watermelon, tonno

Katsuo, Bonito

Skipjack range throughout the world’s tropical and subtropical oceans, and are the most commonly caught tuna. Skipjack matures at an early age, making it more resilient to fishing than most other tuna species. Skipjack is caught with troll, pole-and-line, purse seine, and longline gear. Troll/pole and handline caught tuna are the most sustainable options. The bycatch associated with purse seines can be considerable, especially when “fish aggregating devices” (FADs) are used. Bycatch can include young tunas such as bigeye and yellowfin, other fishes, and sharks. Longlines can also catch sea turtles, sharks and seabirds.

Since there are no international laws to reduce bycatch, longline fleets are contributing heavily to the long-term decline of some of these species.

Their wide distribution, rapid sexual maturity, relatively long life, widely-dispersed spawning grounds, and broadcast spawning, make skipjack tuna inherently resistant to fishing pressure.

ATLANTIC: While catches remain high Atlantic-wide, no stock assessment has been completed. Currently, there is no working estimate for maximum sustainable yield, minimum spawning biomass, or overfishing threshold for Atlantic skipjack.
PACIFIC: Both eastern and western Pacific skipjack stocks are considered extremely abundant, or even under fished.

High numbers of endangered sea turtles and seabirds are caught as bycatch. Some measures have been taken in US waters (Hawaii) including the prohibition of shallower longlining and area/seasonal closures of fishing grounds.

Pelagic longlining has no contact with benthic habitats. However, the ecosystem effects of removing large predators such as tuna are not understood.

The International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission nations include various monitoring provisions for skipjack tuna. Observers cover various percentages of boats in U.S-based fisheries. Enforcing international tuna fishing law is a challenge, given that boats operate on the high seas far from easy observation.

What kind of tuna is this?

Where was it caught?

How was it caught?

Moderate mercury advisory + Adults can safely eat more than 4 meals per month + Kids up to age 6 should eat no more than 3 meals per month + Kids age 6-12 should eat no more than 4+ meals per month

No.