Pacific Island Species SKIPJACK - Katsuwonus pelamis

Masa Ushioda - SEAPICS SCHOOL DAYS: Short-lived, fast-breeding skipjack tuna is a common sight in Pacific Island waters. Also known as: Aku, Atu, Atun, Bonite, creating 80,000 to 2 million eggs per objects or large marine mammals and Bonite á ventre rayé, , Banjo, year until they die at about 5 years old often school according to size – so that Cachurreta, Faolua, Ga’oga Gaiado, Lesser (maximum age is 8-12 years). Skipjack tuna swimming together have the same Tunny, Listado, Merma, Mushmouth, tuna heavy weights are around 20 kilos speed for travelling and feeding. Nzirru, Palamatu, Stripe Bellied Bonito, with most significantly smaller. Striped Bellied Tunny, Tunna, Victor Fish. All the large predators such as and School days: Where schools of skipjack commonly prey on skipjack tuna. Hatchlings: A skipjack tuna hatchling of tuna go varies widely and is thought 3 millimetres will feed on plankton and to depend on ocean currents and Reel life: Skipjack tuna can be caught then small fish, and molluscs temperatures with schools most enjoying on lines or in nets. They are commonly to grow to 40cm in its first year. water temperatures above 25 ˚C (68˚ F). caught by Pacific Island pole-and-line fleets, Japanese pole-and-line fleets Skipjack tuna are fast and racy tuna - Countries between Latitude 10˚N and and domestic fleets in and reaching sexual maturity in its first year, 10˚S are particularly rich in skipjack tuna Philippines using a variety of methods. they will breed rapidly, one female tuna schools. They like to travel with floating PASSPORT SKIPJACK TUNA PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES WHERE SKIPJACK SCHOOLS ARE:

REEL LIFE: Skipjack tuna are mostly caught in large purse seine nets by non-Pacific Island countries. Small but locally important artisanal total skipjack tuna catch in recent years. must be consumed 6 days after landing for skipjack and other tuna Stocks of skipjack tuna are considered or the red flesh will quickly turn brown (using mainly trolling and traditional abundant making up 70% of the total and soft. methods) occur in many of the Pacific tuna catch in the Pacific Ocean. During Islands. Some Pacific Islands are looking the 1990s, annual catches from this Most skipjack tuna is canned in at reviving pole and line to meet region were about 500,000–800,000 Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines. local and niche markets. tonnes before increasing sharply to Pacific Island countries of Samoa, PNG approach 1,000,000 tonnes in 2004– and Solomon Islands have also active By far the most common way for 2006. canneries. Skipjack is also sold fresh and skipjack tuna to be caught is in large frozen. purse seine nets by distant water Out of water: High quality fishing nation fleets from Japan, Korea, skipjack tuna has deep red coloured In Japan, skipjack tuna is known as Taiwan and the USA in the Western and flesh that becomes lighter when katsuo, and is commonly smoked and Central Pacific Ocean. Philippines and cooked. It has a stronger taste than dried to make the central Indonesia made up to 20–25% of the other and a short shelf life. It ingredient in making (fish stock).

More Information: Oceanic Fisheries Management Project www.ffa.int/gef. Project queries email: [email protected], Media queries email: [email protected]