Abstract
Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda) supports economically important recreational and small-scale commercial fisheries throughout its range; however, in the United States (U.S.), the species lacks a formal stock assessment and remains largely unmanaged. This review synthesizes existing information on the fisheries, biology, and life history of Atlantic bonito, with emphasis on U.S. waters, and supplements domestic data with studies from other North Atlantic regions where U.S.-specific information is absent. There are no growth, maturity, or mortality studies from U.S. waters, and stock structure remains poorly understood. Considerable knowledge gaps remain, including, but not limited to, stock structure, reproductive biology, and post-release mortality. Analysis of Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program and Marine Recreational Information Program data from 1951 to 2022 revealed that recreational landings account for 80% of removals, and 39% of recreationally caught individuals were released. Commercial landings have declined over time and are now concentrated in a few northeastern states, while recreational landings remain widespread but highly variable. Biological sampling data revealed no significant spatial or temporal trends. Research recommendations include targeted biosampling, tagging studies, expanded discard estimation, and development of standardized catch-per-unit-effort indices for for-hire vessels to inform potential future management.