Mackerel could give birth to Tuna: Japanese scientists experiment to boost sushi fish stocks | London Evening Standard

Mackerel could give birth to Tuna: Japanese scientists experiment to boost sushi fish stocks Substitute: tuna could be replaced with mackerel (Picture: Rex Features)

Sushi diners could soon be eating hybrid mackerel as a substitute for threatened Pacific bluefin tuna.

Fish specialists at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology are experimenting using mackerel as surrogate parents to bluefin.

Tasty dish: fried mackerel with lemon (Picture: Rex Features)

The technique works by taking baby mackerel, which have similar DNA to tuna, and injecting their reproductive organs with bluefin cells.

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As the mackerel mature, it is hoped the females will produce tuna eggs and the males will produce tuna sperm to create baby bluefins.

Mackerel reproduce faster than tuna and are not endangered.