Yellowfin Tuna

Biology and habitat

Species description
The yellowfin tuna is among the larger tuna species. It belongs to the family of Scombridae.

Geographical distribution and habitat
Yellowfin tuna can be found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide.

Resource, exploitation and management

Stock and resource status/conservation measures
TACs are adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic  Tunas (ICCAT) for tuna caught in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) for tuna caught in the Indian ocean.

Production methods and fishing gears
The main fishing gears used are drifnets, gillnets and similar nets, hooks and lines, longlines, pots and traps, purse seines, seines, surrounding nets and lift nets, and troll lines.

Source: Information system on commercial designations

Catches

Evolution of world catches

• The global catches of Yellowfin tuna have reached over 1,6 million tonnes in 2023, i.e. 1,7% of the global catches. The top-3 producers, Indonesia, Mexico and Philippines accounted for 31% of the world catches in 2023.
• Over the last decade (2014-2023), the global production has increased by 14%, in relation to the increase of catches of Indonesia, Mexico and Papua New Guinea (+34%, +14%, and +88% respectively).

Source: FAO

Evolution of EU catches

• In 2023, the EU provided 6% of the global yellowfin tuna catches (vs. 10% in 2014). Unlike the global production, the EU production has significantly decreased by 30% over the last decade (2014-2023), in relation to the EU contribution to catch reduction scheme of Yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean. This occurs under the umbrella of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission in order to reduce overfishing of yellowfin tuna stock.
• Spanish and French distant water fleet represented almost all (98%) EU production in 2023. Catches are landed in third countries (first sales in France and Spain represent less than 1% of the catches in volume) and imported afterwards.

Source: FAO

Aquaculture production

There is no commercial aquaculture production of yellowfin tuna.

Processing

Yellowfin tuna is mostly used by the canning industry. It is not possible to distinguish yellowfin tuna in canned tuna statistics. The following PRODCOM code refers mainly to skipjack and yellowfin tunas:

• 10202540: Prepared or preserved tuna, skipjack and Atlantic bonito, whole or in pieces   (excluding minced products and prepared meals and dishes).

In 2023, the EU production of preserved tuna, skipjack and Atlantic bonito reached over 444.000 tonnes. Spain is by far the main producer at EU level, with a production over 306.000 tonnes, i.e. 69% of EU production, followed by Italy with 19% of EU production (over 82.500 tonnes).

Source: EUROSTAT/PRODCOM

(*) data for 2023, 2022 and 2021 was incomplete for Portugal and Bulgaria. Values from the previous available year were used to estimate the EU production.

Trade

Combined nomenclature

EU-27 trade of yellowfin tuna products (tonnes - 2024)

• Extra-EU imports reached over 184.400 tonnes in 2024. 31% of EU imports concerned loins of tuna, while 29% of EU imports concerned frozen tuna (other than for industrial use) and 24% concerned prepared/preserved tuna. The main importers in the EU were Spain, Italy and France which were responsible of 95% of the EU imports in 2024 (56%, 28% and 12% respectively). EU suppliers were various, the most important in 2024 were Seychelles and Ecuador (16% and 14% of the EU imports). These imports include a large share of EU catches by distant water fleets that are landed in third countries and imported to the EU.

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

• Extra-EU exports amounted to 27.070 tonnes in 2024. 86% of EU exports concerned frozen tuna, while only 13% concerned canned tuna, and 1% concerned loins of tuna. The top two markets were Seychelles and Ghana, which represented 24% of the EU exports. Other important export markets were Philippines, Mauritus, and Ivory Coast, representing 9% each. The main EU exporters were Spain, France, and Italy, accounting for 73%, 18%, and 7% of the EU exports, respectively.

Source: EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance

EU supply balance (2023) – Tonnes of live weight equivalent – Yellowfin tuna:

Source: FAO/ EUROSTAT-COMEXT

Supply balance is provided for the year 2023 (trade data for 2023 were taken into account). Detailed trade data provided in the slides 4 and 5 concern the year 2024. 
The conversion factors were used to convert net weight of imports and exports of fishery and aquaculture products into live weight equivalents.

Prices along the supply chain (EUR/kg)

Wholesale (fresh)
Wholesale prices provided below refer to Spain, the leading market in the EU.

(*) From January to October 2025

Retail/consumption (canned tuna)
Retail prices refer to fresh and canned tuna (not specific to yellowfin tuna) in France and Spain.

(*) Latest available year

Extra-EU import
Import prices are presented for Spain, Italy and France, the most important importers of yellowfin tuna in the EU from extra-EU countries.

(*) From January to September 2025

Extra-EU export
Export prices refer to Spain, France and Italy, major exporters of yellowfin tuna in the EU.

(*) From January to September 2025

Marketing

• National lists of commercial designations  
   
• Information system on commercial designations and scientific names in all EU languages 
   
• Applicable marketing standards 
   
• In the EU, there are two names protected under Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) of prepared yellowfin tuna in Spain. They are:
  • PGI “Mojama de Barbate” in Spain
  • PGI “Mojama de Isla Cristina” in Spain.

Consumption

• Tuna, all species combined, is the most consumed fish in EU (source: The EU Fish Market – 2025 edition, EUMOFA) 
   
• Apparent consumption of tuna (all species included) per capita in 2023: 2,68 kg live weight equivalent, mostly canned (source: Supply balance - 2023, EUMOFA) 
   
• Apparent consumption of yellowfin tuna per capita in 2023: 0,75 kg live weight equivalent, mostly canned (source: Supply balance – 2023, EUMOFA)
   
• Nutrition values (Yellowfin tuna, nutrition values per serving 100 g)