American Western Fish Boat Owners Association (WFOA) albacore tuna North Pacific

Certified as sustainable in March 2010.

Image Courtesy of the WFOA.

Summary

Species:  Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga)
Location:  United States EEZ and North Pacific.
Fishing methods:  Pole & line and troll & Jig
Vessels:  During the past five years the number of U.S vessel that landed albacore ranged from 650 to 870.
Number of fisheries: 1

More about tuna

Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is a highly migratory tuna found in all of the global oceans and Mediterranean Sea. In the Pacific Ocean there are two separate and distinct stocks of albacore, one in the North Pacific and the other in the South Pacific.

Albacore tuna mature at approximately 5 years or at about 85cm and has a lifespan of about 10 to 12 years. Growth rates are moderate, with fork lengths at first birthday nearly 40 cm. Fecundity is estimated to be 0.8 to 2.6 million eggs per spawning.  In the North Pacific spawning peaks in the summer months but takes place throughout the year in subtropical waters, mostly in the western Pacific, in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands, and in some years off Guadalupe Island, Mexico.

More about the fishing methods

Troll & jig: Trolling for albacore consists of towing artificial lures with barbless hooks behind a fishing vessel at a speed of about 6 knots. Individual trolling lines are generally 3 to 20 fathoms long and often constructed from 1/8" braided nylon line, with a 1-6 fathom leader made from150-400 pound test nylon monofilament, to which is attached an artificial feathered jig with a barbless double hook. Fish are caught one at a time on the trolling line and, upon striking the jig, are retrieved immediately with a hydraulic gurdy or line-puller, or by hand pulling.  Usually about 8-14 lines may be trolled by an albacore fishing vessel, however, typically not all lines are pulled during heavy fishing activity. Trolling vessels will customarily operate with a captain and one or sometimes two crew.

Pole & line: In pole & line fishing, fishers use a stout pole, formerly constructed of bamboo and now made of fiber-glass or a high-technology composite, with a short line that has a single barbless hook with either an artificial lure or live bait. Schools of albacore are usually located by trolling and the vessel is stopped near the school of albacore, which is kept close to the vessel by throwing small amounts of live fish chum, preferably northern anchovy. Each pole-and-line set-up is used by an individual fisher to catch one fish at a time that is lifted aboard the vessel. Vessels usually carry about three to six pole-and-line fishers and a captain, who usually also ‘throws’ chum.

Fishery tonnage

The U.S. surface troll & jig and pole & line fisheries account for approximately 17% of the North Pacific albacore landed by all nations. Landings by the U.S fleet in the North Pacific by these fishing methods since 1996 have ranged from 8,400 to 17,000 tonnes per year. In 2008, the total reported catch was 10,200 tonnes.

Commercial market

Albacore tuna is marketed as fresh, fresh-frozen and canned product, with canned product accounting for the majority of the catch.

Actual eligibility date

27th of May 2009.