Skipjack tuna addition, skipjack's livers were tested globally for tributyltin contamination. TBT is an organotin compound introduced into marine ecosystems through antifouling paint used on ship hulls, and has been determined to be very toxic. About 90% of skipjack tested positive for contamination, especially in Southeast Asia, where regulations of TBT use are less rigorous than in Europe or the US. Skipjack tuna is used extensively in Japanese cuisine, where it is known as . Besides being eaten seared () and raw in sushi and sashimi, it is also smoked and dried to make katsuobushi, the central ingredient in dashi (a common
Skipjack shad upon them. In fact, it is shown that fish species in the family Clupeidae including the skipjack shad comprise up to 45% of the diet of these avian species. The spawning season for skipjack shad is from early March to late April in the southern extent of its range. In the upper Mississippi river drainage spawning time is from early May to early July. Females produce about 100,000 to 300,000 eggs per year, presumably after 2 to 3 years of growth with an average size being Spawning is thought to occur in the depths of main channel over coarse sand-gravel