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Seafood Watch - Seafood Guide
Tuna, Yellowfin
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Tuna, Yellowfin
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Ahi, Maguro, Toro
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U.S. Atlantic
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Troll, Pole-and-line
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Tuna, Yellowfin
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Ahi, Maguro, Toro
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Worldwide, Except U.S. Atlantic
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Troll, Pole-and-line
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Tuna, Yellowfin
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Ahi, Canned Light Tuna, Maguro, Toro
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U.S. Atlantic
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Longline
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Tuna, Yellowfin
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Ahi, Canned Light Tuna, Toro, Maguro
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Worldwide, Except U.S. Atlantic
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Longline, Purse Seine
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Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin tuna is found throughout most of the world’s oceans. Not all yellowfin fisheries use ocean-friendly methods and some populations are overfished.
Consumer Note
Yellowfin tuna can be found as canned light tuna. It’s known as ahi when sold fresh and frozen, and is commonly found on sushi menus as maguro or toro (tuna belly).
Health Alert
Environmental Defense Fund has issued a consumption advisory for longline-caught yellowfin tuna due to elevated levels of mercury. (No consumption advisories are listed for troll/pole-caught yellowfin as these methods catch younger tuna with lower mercury levels.)
Summary
Although yellowfin tuna matures and reproduces quickly, increased fishing has resulted in population declines.
Yellowfin is caught with troll, pole-and-line, longline and purse seine gear. There is little or no bycatch when yellowfin is caught with troll or pole-and-line gear. However, longlines result in large bycatch, including threatened or endangered species such as sea turtles, sharks and seabirds. Since there are no international laws to reduce bycatch, these longline fleets are contributing heavily to the long-term decline of some of these species.
Longline-caught yellowfin is ranked as “Avoid.” One notable exception is longline-caught from the U.S. Atlantic, where strict bycatch regulations and more abundant populations result in a “Good Alternative” ranking.
The bycatch associated with purse seining for yellowfin can be considerable, especially when purse seines are set around natural floating objects or when "fish aggregating devices" (FADs) are used. Bycatch can include young tunas and other fishes and sharks. There is considerably less bycatch when FADs aren’t used - a method known as “unassociated purse seining.” Unfortunately, yellowfin caught this way is not kept separate from the less environmentally friendly caught tuna and consumers have no way of differentiating the two.
Look for yellowfin caught with troll or pole-and-line, which have very low levels of bycatch. U.S. Atlantic troll or pole-caught yellowfin tuna is a “Best Choice.”
Scientific Reports About Our Ratings
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