Skipjack tuna commercial tunas, and its population is considered sustainable against its current consumption. Its fishing is still controversial due to the methodology, with rod and reel or fishery options being promoted as ecologically preferable. Purse seine methods are considered unsustainable by some authorities due to excess bycatch, although bycatch is said to be much reduced if fish aggregation devices are not used. These considerations have led to the availability of canned skipjack marked with the fishing method used to catch it. Skipjack is considered to have "moderate" mercury contamination. As a result, pregnant women are advised against eating large quantities. In
Kathryn (skipjack) middle, and a flat transom stern. Like all present-day skipjacks she has a stern-mounted push plate to allow operation with a pushboat. She is fore-and-aft-planked, unlike most skipjacks, which are cross-planked. Her flush deck follows the standard skipjack plan, with a main hatch abaft the mast, followed by dredging gear, a smaller hatch, a doghouse over a very low cabin, the steering gear and a set of davits for the pushboat. The cabin is finished with varnished tongue-and-groove paneling, and has a bunk on each side under the deck. Steering gear is hydraulic. The "Kathryn" carries the standard skipjack rig