Skipjack Tuna

Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is the most commercially caught tuna species in the world and the backbone of the global canned tuna industry. Abundant in tropical and subtropical oceans, skipjack is fast-growing, highly reproductive, and significantly less vulnerable to overfishing than the larger tuna species. The majority of the world's canned tuna sold under chunk light labels is skipjack. It produces darker, stronger-flavoured flesh than albacore, with higher levels of histamine if not handled correctly. In Japan, skipjack is the source of katsuobushi, the dried fermented fish that underpins dashi stock, and tinned katsu tuna appears in premium Japanese formats. MSC-certified skipjack fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific represent the most sustainable large-scale tuna production available.

How to eat it: the sturdy forms. Folded through pasta or white beans, flaked into a salad, tipped over rice, or piled into a sandwich with mayo. The plain tuna to cook with.