Skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) is the world's most commercially harvested tuna species and the primary raw material for canned tuna and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), but fresh or chilled whole-fish imports under this line serve a distinct niche in Asian foodservice and specialty retail markets. The HTS description explicitly excludes fish fillets and other fish meat of heading 0304, so product form must be confirmed before entry. FDA admissibility rules apply, and scombrotoxin control is a recurring inspection focus for this species. Skipjack's relatively short shelf life at chill temperatures means air freight is the dominant mode for fresh shipments, influencing landed cost calculations significantly.

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