
Fair Trade Skipjack Tuna
Maldives | Wild | MSC | Pole & Line
Katsuwonus pelamis
Tracking Code W-SKJ05LHP
Story of Origin
Tuna fishing has been in Iliyas Mohamed's family for generations. The warm Indian Ocean brings schools of skipjack tuna year round to the waters surrounding his home island of L. Hithadhoo in The Maldives. Iliyas and the rest of the crew each use a pole with a single hook to catch the tuna at the surface, throwing the fish back over their heads and onto the deck of the ship. Because the schools stay close to the coral islands, Iliyas can spend time with the family he supports.
Good to know
Using the pole and line method to catch skipjack tuna means that there is virtually no bycatch. By using a certain size of hook and type of bait, the Maldivian fishers can specifically target the fish they want. Larger types of tuna or sharks don't fit the hooks and so this type of fishing is considered one of the most sustainable.
The fishers in our Fair Trade USA Certified Maldivian skipjack pole and line fishery receive a premium for the fish they catch. This additional income is spent collectively on community projects and development. By ensuring the fishers benefit fairly from the fish they catch, their traditional methods are rewarded and encouraged to continue.


Our partner fish processing factory, Horizon Fisheries, prides itself on continuing a long tradition of fish processing in the archipelago. Its Fair Trade USA Certified factory employs around 525 employees that do everything from buying, cleaning, cooking, preparing, canning, packing, and shipping tuna to customers around the world. We have a long standing relationship with Horizon Fisheries and are proud to support the local community.