Albacore tuna  (Thunnus alalunga)

For many years, important fisheries have existed for the albacore tuna in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. As efforts to catch fish have increased, the world catch of albacore tuna has been gradually declining and many stocks are now over-fished, or fully exploited and nearing a situation of over-fishing (2) (5). The North Atlantic stock has declined to about one quarter of the peak levels estimated for the 1940s, and likewise, the South Atlantic stock has been reduced by fisheries to about 25 percent of its un-fished level (7). While there are regulations regarding the amount of albacore tuna that can be caught in many areas, enforcing such fishing laws can be challenging as the boats operate on the high seas far from observation (8).

In the Atlantic Ocean, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is responsible for the conservation of the albacore tuna. Based on scientific evidence, the Commission can adopt recommendations and resolutions aimed at maintaining populations of tuna species at levels which will permit maximum sustainable catch (7). An assessment of albacore tuna stocks undertaken in 2007 led to the recommendation that the total allowable catch should be reduced for the North Atlantic stock if it is to recover from its over-fished condition. Even though the South Atlantic stock was also found to be over-fished, the Commission considered that the current management regulations for the South Atlantic stock are sufficient for its recovery (7). Similarly, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) is responsible for the conservation and management of fisheries for tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean (9). While in these areas, stocks of the albacore tuna are studied, monitored and fisheries regulated, elsewhere the status of this species is not so clear, hence the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has assessed it as Data Deficient (1). Hopefully further knowledge will soon come to light, to ensure that throughout its range, this important tuna species will be exploited sustainably without threat to its continued survival.