Tuna Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity and Forecast, By Species (Skipjack, Albacore, Yellowfin, Bigeye, Bluefin), By Type (Fresh, Frozen, Canned), By End User (Residential, Commercial), By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline), By Region & Competition, 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 40.22 Billion
CAGR (2026-2031)	3.69%
Fastest Growing Segment	Online
Largest Market	Europe
Market Size (2031)	USD 49.99 Billion

Market Overview

The Global Tuna Market will grow from USD 40.22 Billion in 2025 to USD 49.99 Billion by 2031 at a 3.69% CAGR. The Global Tuna Market revolves around the commercial harvest and distribution of species within the Thunnini tribe which are processed primarily into canned, fresh, and frozen formats for human consumption. Fundamental drivers supporting this sector include the rising global demand for accessible protein and the economic viability of canned tuna as a product with a stable shelf life during inflationary periods. These core factors ensure consistent revenue streams, distinct from shifting culinary trends, by fulfilling essential nutritional needs across diverse demographics.

Nevertheless, the industry encounters critical hurdles regarding environmental sustainability and strict catch quotas intended to mitigate overfishing risks. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2024, the world trade of fresh, frozen, and canned tuna during the first nine months was estimated at 3.07 million tonnes valued at USD 11.86 billion. While this data highlights the sector's immense economic scale, future expansion remains contingent upon navigating complex regulatory landscapes to maintain biological stock levels.

Key Market Drivers

Rising consumer demand for affordable, shelf-stable, and convenient canned tuna products serves as a primary catalyst for market expansion, particularly as inflationary pressures influence global purchasing behaviors. This trend is reinforced by the product's nutritional versatility and long shelf life, which appeal to urban populations seeking cost-effective protein sources. Major industry players are capitalizing on this volume-driven growth by optimizing ambient seafood portfolios to meet the resilience of the canned segment, effectively insulating revenue against economic volatility. According to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, November 2024, in the 'TU-9M24-Listed Company Snapshot', Thai Union Group reported Q3 2024 quarterly sales of THB 34,840 million, a performance driven significantly by higher organic demand in their ambient seafood category.

Simultaneously, the expansion of MSC-certified sustainable and dolphin-safe fishing practices is reshaping supply chain governance and trade dynamics. As regulatory bodies and retailers enforce stricter traceability standards to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, the industry is witnessing a structural shift towards certified sourcing which ensures long-term biological viability. According to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, December 2024, in the 'Status of the Stocks' report, 88% of the total commercial tuna catch worldwide now originates from stocks at healthy levels of abundance. This industry-wide commitment to ecological preservation is further highlighted by the reach of certification programs; according to the Marine Stewardship Council, in 2024, fisheries harvesting 53% of the global commercial tuna catch were engaged with the MSC program.

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Key Market Challenges

The primary impediment restricting the growth of the Global Tuna Market is the enforcement of strict catch quotas and environmental sustainability mandates designed to combat overfishing. While essential for long-term biological viability, these regulatory ceilings create an immediate supply-side bottleneck. Manufacturers and processors are unable to linearly increase production volumes in response to rising global demand because the availability of raw material is artificially capped. This disconnect between constrained supply and growing consumption forces the market into a cycle of scarcity, limiting the industry's ability to scale operations and driving up procurement costs, which ultimately hampers volume-driven revenue expansion.

This structural limitation is substantiated by recent data regarding stock health and necessary conservation measures. According to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation, in November 2024, 13% of the world’s major commercial tuna stocks were classified as overfished, a critical status that triggers rigorous harvest limits on key species such as the Indian Ocean yellowfin. Consequently, major commercial fleets are prevented from accessing additional biomass, locking the market into a supply deficit that stifles new market entry and restricts the overall capacity for industry growth.

Key Market Trends

The implementation of AI-driven electronic monitoring (EM) systems on fishing vessels is rapidly becoming a critical standard for supply chain transparency, effectively replacing reliance on manual logbooks and sporadic human observation. This technology utilizes high-definition cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence to automatically detect fishing activities, bycatch events, and handling practices, thereby eliminating data blind spots in high-seas operations. Major seafood conglomerates are aggressively mandating these systems to verify compliance with labor and environmental protocols, moving beyond simple paper-based certifications to ensure accountability at the point of harvest. According to Thai Union Group PCL, June 2024, in the 'Sustainability Report 2023', the company successfully increased the proportion of tuna sourced from vessels equipped with electronic monitoring and/or human observers to 90%, a significant rise from a 71% baseline in 2021.

Simultaneously, the market is witnessing the global mainstreaming of sashimi-grade and raw tuna consumption, facilitated by advancements in ultra-low temperature cold chains that preserve texture and quality during transport. This trend marks a divergence from the volume-driven canned segment, as distributors prioritize deep-frozen loins and fillets to meet the rising culinary demand for high-value raw formats in both retail and foodservice sectors. This shift towards premiumization allows stakeholders to command higher margins and mitigate the volatility associated with commodity skipjack prices. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, July 2024, in the 'Globefish Report and Outlook for tuna', Japan, a leading indicator for this high-value segment, recorded a 36.11% year-on-year increase in imports of deep-frozen tuna fillets during early 2024, underscoring the resilient demand for sashimi-quality products.

Segmental Insights

Market analysis identifies the Online segment as the fastest-growing distribution channel within the Global Tuna Market. This robust expansion is fueled by rising consumer demand for purchasing convenience and the extensive variety of products available through digital platforms, ranging from premium value-added items to sustainably certified options. Additionally, the long shelf life of canned and processed tuna significantly reduces cold-chain logistical challenges, making the category highly suitable for e-commerce fulfillment. Consequently, major industry participants are increasingly strengthening their direct-to-consumer capabilities to capitalize on this structural shift in retail behavior.

Regional Insights

Europe maintains a leading position in the global tuna market due to substantial consumer demand for canned and processed seafood, particularly in nations such as Spain and France. This dominance is supported by a robust industrial framework for seafood processing and established distribution networks. Additionally, the European Commission enforces rigorous standards regarding sustainability and illegal fishing, which aligns with growing consumer preference for certified and traceable products. These factors collectively secure the region's status as a primary hub for tuna consumption and importation within the global landscape.

Recent Developments

• In June 2025, the Bolton Group announced the renewal and expansion of its multi-year partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Oxfam for the 2025–2028 period. The company reported that it had successfully achieved its target of sourcing 99.7% of its tuna from responsible fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council or involved in robust fishery improvement projects. Under the new agreement, the collaboration aimed to apply rigorous sustainability and human rights criteria to the company's entire procurement volume, which represents approximately 10% of the global tuna catch, thereby setting a new benchmark for industrial responsibility.
• In August 2024, Wild Planet Foods introduced a new "Limited Edition Wild Tuna Snack Pack" through a strategic product collaboration with Simple Mills and Chosen Foods. This ready-to-eat offering combined Wild Planet’s sustainably pole-and-line caught skipjack tuna with almond flour crackers from Simple Mills and avocado oil mayonnaise from Chosen Foods. The product launch was engineered to cater to the growing consumer demand for convenient, clean-label protein snacks that prioritize environmental stewardship. The companies marketed the pack as a comprehensive solution for sustainable nutrition, leveraging the combined brand equity of the three health-focused manufacturers.
• In May 2024, Wanda Fish, a food-technology company, unveiled its first cell-cultivated bluefin tuna product, specifically designed to replicate the texture and sensory experience of the premium toro sashimi cut. This breakthrough research utilized a proprietary 3D formation process involving the cultivation of tuna muscle and fat cells to create a whole-cut filet without impacting ocean ecosystems. The company highlighted that this innovation addressed critical challenges related to overfishing and heavy metal contamination in wild populations. This development marked a major step toward bringing a sustainable, price-competitive alternative to the high-end sushi market.
• In April 2024, Thai Union Group, in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy and major retailers such as Walmart and Albertsons Companies, became a founding signatory of the Tuna Transparency Pledge. This strategic initiative committed the participating companies to achieving 100% on-the-water monitoring across their industrial tuna fishing supply chains by 2027. The agreement focused on the deployment of electronic monitoring systems, including cameras and sensors, alongside human observers to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. This partnership underscored a significant industry-wide shift toward verifiable accountability and the preservation of global tuna stocks.

Key Market Players

• Bolton Group S.r.l.
• Century Pacific Food Incorporated
• Albacora SA
• Thai Union Group Plc
• Dongwon Industries Ltd
• IBL Ltd
• FCF Co., Ltd
• Sea Delight, LLC
• Crown Prince, Inc.
• Monsoon Fisheries

By Species	By Type	By End User	By Distribution Channel	By Region
Skipjack Albacore Yellowfin Bigeye Bluefin	Fresh Frozen Canned	Residential Commercial	Online Offline	North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Tuna Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Tuna Market , By Species:

• Skipjack
• Albacore
• Yellowfin
• Bigeye
• Bluefin

• Tuna Market , By Type:

• Fresh
• Frozen
• Canned

• Tuna Market , By End User:

• Residential
• Commercial

• Tuna Market , By Distribution Channel:

• Online
• Offline

• Tuna Market , By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE