'Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kochi'
Abstract
Tunas are commercially important fish and
widely but sparsely distributed throughout the oceans
of the world, generally in tropical and temperate
waters. They are grouped taxonomically in the family
Scombridae, which includes about 50 species. The
most important of these in commercial and
recreational fisheries are yellowfin (Thunnus
albacares) (Fig. 1), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis),
bluefin tuna (T. tonggol), frigate tuna (Auxis thazard)
mackerel tuna (Euthynnus affinis) and striped bonito
(T. orientalis). They are exploited mainly by hooks
and line, mechanised gillnets and trawlnets in India
