1999 

 OUR LIVING OCEANS 



Table 18-1 



Productivity in metric tons 

 and status of Pacific highly 

 migratory pelagic species. 



'1995-97 average 

 '1993-95 average 

 ^1994-96 average 

 "U S subtotal IS U S landings of tunas, swordfisfi, and billfisli for 1993-95, 1995-97 data are unavailable 



Treaty. The FFA opened multilateral talks m 1 ')')4 

 for the purpose of developing a conservation and 

 management treat)' for tropical tuna species and 

 South Pacific albacore. These talks are continuing 

 at an accelerated pace. 



Currently, there is no international manage- 

 ment regime for the pelagic species in the North 

 Pacific. An informal arrangement has existed be- 

 tween lapan and the United States for assessing 

 the status of North Pacific albacore (scientists [mm 

 Canada, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea also 

 participate.) Recently, the United States and Ja- 

 pan, through a bilateral agreement, established the 

 Interim Scientific Committee tor Tuna and luna- 

 like Species in the North Pacific Ocean to moni- 

 tor North Pacific fisheries as a precursor tor a 

 management regime. 



The temperate-water bluefin tuna is not con- 

 sidered here, as most catches have been relatively 

 minor and taken off California in recent years. This 

 species is taken incidentalK' while purse seining 

 tor other species (anchovy and mackerel; yellow- 

 fin and skipjack tunas). It is also taken sporadi- 



cally by the fTiwaii-based longline fishery on the 

 northern swordfish grounds. 



U.S. billfisli harvests (except for swordfish) 

 ha\e been dwarfed by foreign harvests (mostly 

 from longline fisheries). There is no international 

 authotitv managing these species in the Pacific, 

 although they are under consideration in the FFA 

 talks. U.S. management authorin' for billfish and 

 tuna in the FEZ rests with the Western Pacific 

 Regional Fishery Management C'ouncil tor cen- 

 tral and western Pacific waters, and with the Pa- 

 cific Fishery Management Council tor North 

 American waters, in the past, the latter has del- 

 egated management to the State of California tor 

 swordfish, striped marlin, and some sharks. Cur- 

 rently, there is renewed interest by the Pacific Fish- 

 ery Management Cotmcil in de\'elo[iing billlish, 

 tuna, antl shark management plans. 



Species and Status 



Highly migratory pelagic species include tropi- 

 cal tunas (yellowfin, bigeye, and skipjack), alba- 



1 9 4 



