Analysis of the Global Skipjack Tuna Market in Late January 2026

In late January 2026, the global skipjack tuna market trended sluggishly overall, yet the Bangkok market sent a key signal: skipjack tuna prices may have bottomed out and stabilized, with the February delivery negotiations expected to become an inflection point for a price uptick.

Current skipjack tuna prices in Bangkok remain largely flat, with insufficient market liquidity being the main constraint on market activity. Fishing performance in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries has been weak, with moderate delivery volumes by refrigerated transport vessels. Coupled with rising freight rates driving up supply chain costs, the industry expects that transaction prices for large buyers may rise by around $20 per ton in February, and quotation increases for small buyers could reach $30 per ton, though the final trend still hinges on negotiation outcomes.

In the Eastern Pacific, purse seine vessels have returned to fishing grounds after the conclusion of the second-phase fishing moratorium, yet fishing efficiency has not improved significantly. While some market participants have tested low prices, tight skipjack tuna resources and fishing activities concentrated on yellowfin tuna have restricted the immediate supply of skipjack tuna, resulting in no transactions from these low-price attempts.

Turning to other major producing regions, vessels at the Port of Manta in Ecuador have resumed operations, with minor softening in the FOB price of skipjack tuna, though there are significant divergences in industry views on the price trend. Notably, the premium of local skipjack tuna over shipments to Southeast Asia stands at a three-year high, eroding the competitiveness of processing plants, with prices only supported by demand for EU-certified fish.

Fishing intensity in the Indian Ocean is moderate, with stable skipjack tuna resources and prices falling back to €1,150-1,180 per ton; the Atlantic market remains in a slump, with transactions dominated by sporadic spot sales and a notable divergence in prices.

On the demand side, pressure persists in the European market. The EU's autonomous tariff quota for tuna loins was quickly exhausted at the start of the year, forcing importers to bear an 8.05% tariff. Nevertheless, the spot CIF price of whole skipjack tuna in Spain remains stable at €1,900-2,100 per ton.

A comprehensive assessment shows that the global skipjack tuna market is in a game phase characterized by low transaction volumes and high expectations. Sharp price fluctuations are unlikely in the short term, and whether prices in Bangkok can rebound will depend on the outcomes of the February negotiations and the recovery of fishing activities in the Eastern Pacific.