Scientific Name
Euthynnus affinis

Common Name
Kawakawa

Biology
Occurs in open waters but always remains close to the shoreline. The young may enter bays and harbors. Forms multi-species schools by size with other scombrid species comprising from 100 to over 5,000 individuals. A highly opportunistic predator feeding indiscriminately on small fishes, especially on clupeoids and atherinids; also on squids, crustaceans and zooplankton (Ref. 9684). Generally marketed canned and frozen; also utilized dried, salted, smoked (Ref. 9684) and fresh (Ref. 9987).

Classification

Classified By

Cantor, 1849

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Mackerels, tunas, bonitos (Scombridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: in warm waters including oceanic islands and archipelagos. A few stray specimens have been collected in the Eastern Central Pacific. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).

Range

35°N - 38°S, 32°E - 137°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

18 °C

Water Temperature To

29 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

200 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-neritic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 200 m (Ref. 54439)

Trophic Level

4.5 s.e. 0.79 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

100.0 cm

Common Length

60.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (37 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.4-0.5; tm=3; Fec=210,000)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30911)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated