skipjack tuna

File:Skipjack tuna shoal.jpg skipjack tuna]]

It is a streamlined, fast-swimming pelagic fish common in tropical waters throughout the world, where it inhabits surface waters in large shoals (up to 50,000 fish, often in combination with other scombridaes), feeding on fish, crustaceans, cephalopods, and mollusks. It is an important prey species for sharks and large pelagic fishes and is often used as live bait when fishing for marlin. It has no scales, except on the lateral line and the corselet (a band of large, thick scales forming a circle around the body behind the head). Like other tuna, it lacks a swim bladder, and must keep swimming to stay buoyant. It commonly reaches fork lengths up to {{cvt|80|cm|ftin}} and a mass of {{cvt|8|–|10|kg}}. Its maximum fork length is {{cvt|108|cm|ftin}}, and its maximum mass is {{cvt|34.5|kg}}. Determining the age of skipjack tuna is difficult, and estimates of its potential lifespan range between 8 and 12 years.

Skipjack tuna are batch spawners. Spawning occurs year-round in equatorial waters, but it gets more seasonal further away from the equator. Fork length at first spawning is about {{cvt|45|cm}}. It is also known for its potent smell.

Skipjack tuna has the highest percentage of skeletal muscle devoted to locomotion of all animals, at 68% of the animal's total body mass.{{Cite book|last=Calder|first=William A.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-iBS6-2OO3wC&pg=PA19| title= Size, Function, and Life History| date= 1996| publisher=Courier Corporation| isbn=0-486-69191-8| pages= 19|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Bone|first=Q.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wnjnyAafAzUC&dq=bone%201978%20locomotor%20muscle&pg=PA362|title=Locomotor muscle| date= 1978| publisher=Academic Press|isbn=0-08-058527-2|location=Fish physiology |pages=362|language=en}}

Skipjack tuna are highly sensitive to environmental conditions and changes. Climate change effects are significant in marine ecosystems, and ecological factors may change fish distribution and catchability.{{Cite journal |last1=Yen |first1=Kuo-Wei |last2=Su |first2=Nan-Jay |last3=Teemari |first3=Tooreka |last4=Lee |first4=Min-An |last5=Lu |first5=Hsueh-Jung |date=2016-12-01 |title=Predicting the Catch Potential of Skipjack Tuna in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean Under Different Climate Change Scenarios |url=https://www.airitilibrary.com/Publication/alDetailedMesh?DocID=10232796-201612-201612270055-201612270055-1053-1062 |journal=Journal of Marine Science and Technology |volume=24 |issue=6 |doi=10.6119/JMST-016-0713-1 |issn=1023-2796}}

File:Skipjack tuna, capture production, million tonnes, 1950-2022.svg{{Cite web |title=Fisheries and Aquaculture - Global Production |url=https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/collection/global_production?lang=en |access-date=2024-05-06 |website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)}}]]

File:Bell Shimada and Fred Cleaver and examining skipjack.jpg and Fred Cleaver examining skipjack tuna]]

It is an important commercial and game fish, usually caught using purse seine nets, and is sold fresh, frozen, canned, dried, salted, and smoked. In 2018, landings of {{convert|3.2|e6tonne|e6ST}} were reported, the third highest of any marine capture fishery (after Peruvian anchoveta and Alaska pollock).{{cite book |url= https://www.fao.org/state-of-fisheries-aquaculture |title=The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2020 |publisher= Food and Agriculture Organization |via= fao.org |year=2022 |doi=10.4060/cc0461en |hdl=10535/3776 |isbn=978-92-5-136364-5 |access-date=2022-03-08 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220304201651/https://www.fao.org/state-of-fisheries-aquaculture |archive-date=2022-03-04 }}

Countries recording large amounts of skipjack catches include the Maldives, France, Spain, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.{{cite book| url= http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5428e/y5428e00.htm |title=Historical trends of tuna catches in the world |series= FAO Fisheries Technical Paper No. 467 |first1=Makoto|last1=Miyake |first2= Naozumi|last2=Miyabe |first3=Hideki|last3=Nakano |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations |location=Rome |year=2004}}

Skipjack is the most fecund of the main commercial tunas, and its population is considered sustainable against its current consumption.{{cite news| url= http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atl_skipjack.htm|title=FishWatch: Atlantic Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)|date=November 3, 2009| publisher= National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration| website = NOAA.gov| access-date=2009-11-12}}{{cite news| url=http://www.blueocean.org/programs/seafood-view?spc_id=54| title= Skipjack tuna, purse seine caught| date=November 11, 2009| publisher= Blue Ocean Institute | website = blueocean.org |access-date= 2009-11-12| url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100613073032/http://blueocean.org/programs/seafood-view?spc_id=54|archive-date= 2010-06-13}} Its fishing is still controversial due to the methodology, with rod and reel or fishery options being promoted as ecologically preferable.{{cite news| url=http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=18926/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl|title=BUSINESS: PACIFIC TOLD TO TAKE THE LEAD If region wants to conserve critical resource| date=November 2009| publisher= Islands Business International|access-date=2009-11-12}}{{cite news| url= http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/200910/s2722094.htm| title= Pacific tries to show way in sustainable tuna fishing| date=October 23, 2009| publisher=ABC International - Radio Australia|access-date=2009-11-12}}{{cite web|url=http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/retailers-guide-skipjack| website = greenpeace.org | title=Retailers' Guide to Sustainable and Equitable Pole and Line Skipjack|date= 27 April 2009 |publisher= Greenpeace International| access-date=2009-11-12}}

Purse seine methods are considered unsustainable by some authorities due to excess bycatch, although bycatch is said to be much reduced if fish aggregation devices are not used.{{cite web |url= http://www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/seafoodwatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=78 |title=Tuna, Skipjack |publisher= Monterey Bay Aquarium |website= SeafoodWatch.org |access-date=2014-08-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140819085533/http://www.seafoodwatch.org/cr/seafoodwatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=78 |archive-date=2014-08-19 }} These considerations have led to the availability of canned skipjack marked with the fishing method used to catch it.{{cite news |url= http://www.fastcoexist.com/1680610/how-safeway-ended-up-selling-cheap-responsibly-caught-store-brand-tuna |last=Schwartz| first = Ariel |title=How Safeway Ended Up Selling Cheap, Responsibly-Caught Store Brand Tuna |date=2012-09-30 |access-date=2014-08-16 |work= Fast Company}} As much as 95% of skipjack tuna catches may be used as canned tuna.{{Cite web |title=CA Marine Species Portal |url=https://marinespecies.wildlife.ca.gov/skipjack-tuna/false/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=marinespecies.wildlife.ca.gov}}

Skipjack is considered to have "moderate" mercury contamination. As a result, pregnant women are advised against eating large quantities.{{cite web | url= http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/sushimercury.htm | title = Mercury Levels in Sushi | website = americanpregnancy.org| accessdate = 2013-08-22}}{{cite web | url= http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp | title = Mercury Levels in Fish | website=NRDC.org| accessdate = 2013-08-22}}{{cite web| url= http://www.mhlw.go.jp/english/wp/other/councils/mercury/index.html | title = Advice for Pregnant Women on Fish Consumption concerning Mercury Contamination| website = mhlw.go.jp | date = 2003-06-03| publisher =| accessdate = 2013-08-22}} In addition, skipjack's livers were tested globally for tributyltin (TBT) contamination. TBT is an organotin compound introduced into marine ecosystems through antifouling paint used on ship hulls and has been determined to be very toxic. About 90% of skipjack tested positive for contamination, especially in Southeast Asia, where regulations of TBT use are less rigorous than in Europe or the US.{{cite web| last= Down| first= Steve| title=Tuna is attuned to tin| url= http://www.separationsnow.com/details/ezine/sepspec503ezine/Tuna-is-attuned-to-tin.html?tzcheck=1| date=| work=separationsnow.com |access-date= 2014-04-28}}

File:魚づくし 鰹に桜-Katsuo Fish with Cherry Buds, from the series Uozukushi (Every Variety of Fish) MET DP123578.jpg, 1830s]]

Skipjack tuna is used extensively in Japanese cuisine, where it is known as {{nihongo||鰹/かつお|katsuo}}. It is eaten raw in sushi and sashimi, as well as slightly seared in katsuo tataki. It is also smoked and dried to make katsuobushi, and the shavings are commonly used to make dashi (soup stock).{{cite book |last1=Naomichi |first1=Ishige |date=2014 |title=The History and Culture of Japanese Food |publisher=Routledge |page=14 |isbn=978-0-7103-0657-9}} Katsuobushi flakes are also used as seasoning, such as in onigiri (rice balls) or on top of tofu. The raw viscera of skipjack tuna is salted and fermented to make shutō, a type of shiokara.

The fish's fat content changes during migrations along the Japanese islands. When they migrate north in summer, they are called hatsugatsuo ("first katsuo") or noborigatsuo ("ascending katsuo"), and have a lesser amount of fat. When they migrate south in autumn, they are called modorigatsuo ("returning katsuo") or kudarigatsuo ("descending katsuo"), and have a high level of fat.

KatsuoTataki.jpg|Katsuo no tataki, seared skipjack

Katsuo (bonito) Nigiri.jpg|As sushi

Katsuobushi 2.jpg|Katsuobushi flakes

NDL-DC 1304722-Keisai Eisen-十二ケ月の内 四月 ほとゝきす・かつほ-crd.jpg|Woman preparing Katsuo, by Keisai Eisen (1790–1848)

In Indonesian cuisine, skipjack tuna is known as cakalang. The most popular Indonesian dish made from skipjack tuna is cakalang fufu from Minahasa. It is a cured and smoked skipjack tuna dish, made by cooking the fish after clipping it to a bamboo frame.{{cite web |url=http://www.mediaindonesia.com/read/2011/07/07/242079/290/101/Cakalang-Fufu-Jadi-Pilihan-di-Sulut |title=Cakalang Fufu Jadi Pilihan di Sulut |date=15 July 2011 |publisher=MediaIndonesia.com |language=id |access-date=1 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101053317/http://www.mediaindonesia.com/read/2011/07/07/242079/290/101/Cakalang-Fufu-Jadi-Pilihan-di-Sulut |archive-date=1 January 2013 }} Skipjack known as kalhubilamas in Maldives is integral to Maldivian cuisine.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/7413598/Tuna-fishing-in-the-Maldives-the-fairest-catch.html|title=Tuna fishing in the Maldives: the fairest catch|author=Prince, Rose|date=11 March 2010|access-date=13 April 2011|publisher=The Telegraph}}

Skipjack tuna is an important fish in the native cuisine of Hawaii (where it is known as aku) and throughout the Pacific islands. Hawaiians prefer to eat aku either raw as a sashimi or poke or seared in Japanese tataki style.{{cite web|url=https://www.hawaii-seafood.org/wild-hawaii-fish/skipback-tuna-aku/|title=Skipjack Tuna (Aku)|website=Hawaii Seafood|access-date=2020-01-14}}

The trade in pickled skipjack tuna is a driving force behind the commercial fishery of this species in Spain.{{cite web|url=http://www.mapa.es/ministerio/pags/hechoscifras/espanol/pdf/24.pdf|title=Pesca y Acuicultura|language=es|access-date=2021-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201095831/http://www.mapa.es/ministerio/pags/hechoscifras/espanol/pdf/24.pdf|archive-date=2008-12-01}}

Ikan Cakalang Fufu Asap Khas Manado.jpg|Indonesian cakalang fufu

Gaiado a secar, fotografia de Virgílio Gomes, 3 de setembro de 2021, Caniçal - Image 193630.jpg|Skipjack drying on Madeira Island

Negombo beach, drying fish (001).JPG|Skipjack drying in Negombo, Sri Lanka

{{Reflist|32em}}

• [http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/tuna/species_pages/pacific_skipjack_tuna.htm Pacific skipjack tuna] NOAA FishWatch. Retrieved 5 November 2012.
• [http://www.fishwatch.gov/seafood_profiles/species/tuna/species_pages/atl_skipjack_tuna.htm Western Atlantic skipjack tuna] NOAA FishWatch. Retrieved 5 November 2012.

• {{Commons-inline|Katsuwonus pelamis}}
• {{sealifephotos|127018}}

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skipjack tuna

Category:Commercial fish

Category:Cosmopolitan fish

skipjack tuna

Category:Scombridae

Category:Game fish

Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus

Category:Taxa named by Kamakichi Kishinouye