Skipjack tuna

Skipjack tuna
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Scombridae
Tribe:	Thunnini
Genus:	Katsuwonus Kishinouye, 1915
Species:	K. pelamis
Binomial name
Katsuwonus pelamis (Linnaeus, 1758)

The skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, is a medium-sized perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae. It is otherwise known as the aku, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna, or victor fish. It grows up to 1 m (3 ft) in length.

Description

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), feeding on fish, crustaceans, cephalopods and mollusks. It is an important prey species for large pelagic fishes and sharks.

It is an important commercial and game fish, usually caught using purse seine nets, and is sold fresh, frozen, canned, dried, salted, and smoked.

Skipjack is the most fecund of the main commercial tunas, and its population is considered sustainable against its current consumption.^[1][2] Its fishing is still controversial due to the methodology; with rod and reel or fishery options being promoted as ecologically preferable.^[3][4][5]

Countries recording large amounts of skipjack catches include the Maldives, France, Spain, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.^[6]

Skipjack is considered to have "moderate" mercury contamination. As a result, pregnant women are advised against eating large quantities.^[7][8][9]

Gastronomy

Shoal of skipjack tuna

"Katsuo no Tataki"

In Japanese cuisine, skipjack tuna is known as katsuo, and is commonly smoked and dried to make katsuobushi, the central ingredient in making dashi (fish stock). Skipjack tuna is also used in katsuo no shiokara.

Skipjack is also integral to Maldivian cuisine.^[10]

References

1. ^ "FishWatch: Atlantic Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis)". NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminsitration. November 3, 2009. http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/species/atl_skipjack.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
2. ^ "Skipjack tuna, purse seine caught". Blue Ocean Institute. Nov 11, 2009. http://www.blueocean.org/programs/seafood-view?spc_id=54. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
3. ^ courtesy of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (November 2009). "BUSINESS: PACIFIC TOLD TO TAKE THE LEAD If region wants to conserve critical resource". Islands Business International. http://www.islandsbusiness.com/islands_business/index_dynamic/containerNameToReplace=MiddleMiddle/focusModuleID=18926/overideSkinName=issueArticle-full.tpl. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
4. ^ "Pacific tries to show way in sustainable tuna fishing". ABC International - Radio Australia. Fri Oct 23, 2009. http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/200910/s2722094.htm. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
5. ^ "Retailers' Guide to Sustainable and Equitable Pole and Line Skipjack". Greenpeace International. 27 April 2009. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/retailers-guide-skipjack. Retrieved 2009-11-12. 
6. ^ Makoto Miyake, Naozumi Miyabe, Hideki Nakano, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2004). Historical trends of tuna catches in the world. http://books.google.com/books?id=B0fQre6F7KAC&printsec=frontcover. 
7. ^ [1]
8. ^ [2]
9. ^ [3]
10. ^ Prince, Rose (11 March 2010). "Tuna fishing in the Maldives: the fairest catch". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/7413598/Tuna-fishing-in-the-Maldives-the-fairest-catch.html. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 

External links

• "Katsuwonus pelamis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=172401. Retrieved 24 January 2006. 
• Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Katsuwonus pelamis" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
• Clover, Charles. 2004. The End of the Line: How overfishing is changing the world and what we eat. Ebury Press, London. ISBN 0-09-189780-7