Skipjack Tuna

The skipjack tuna belongs to the migratory fish of the Pacific Ocean. lt travels from Kyushu to thesouthern part of Hokkaido in spring and heads south in autumn. The first skipjack tuna caught in earlysummer, known as "Hatsukuro", has less fat and a mild flavor, and is highly favored by people.

The skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) is a perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae, and is the only member of the genus Katsuwonus. It is also known as katsuo, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna or victor fish. It grows up to 1 m (3 ft) in length. It is a cosmopolitan pelagic fish found in tropical and warm-temperate waters. It is a very important species for fisheries. It is also the namesake of the USS Skipjack.

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 45 cm (18 in). 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.