Frozen Atlantic & Pacific Bluefin Tuna, Excluding Fillets, Livers & Roes

The ICCAT Bluefin Tuna Statistical Document (BSD) is a catch-tracking certificate required for all imports of Atlantic bluefin tuna into the US. It must be completed by the flag state of the harvesting vessel and validated by the exporting country's government. Without a valid BSD, US Customs and Border Protection will refuse entry of the shipment. Pacific bluefin imports from WCPFC-managed fisheries have analogous documentation requirements under that body's trade tracking scheme.

Mediterranean ranched bluefin are typically juvenile wild-caught fish transferred to sea cages and fattened for several months before harvest, producing a consistent fat profile suited to sashimi. Japanese bluefin — both wild Pacific and farmed — is often marketed at the highest premium tiers due to established brand recognition in the sashimi trade. The distinction matters for buyers because fat content, seasonality of harvest, and traceability documentation differ between ranched Mediterranean and Japanese-origin product.