■72- 



III. B. 3. Results of Yield-per-Recruit Analysis 



A yield- per- recruit analysis for eastern Atlantic 

 skipjack was performed at the second ICCAT workshop on juvenile tunas held 

 in Brest, France, in 1980. In formulating the analysis, the workshop 

 participants noted that uncertainties associated with identification of 

 year-classes due to year-round spawning of eastern Atlantic skipjack made 

 the resultant analysis questionable. This analysis (Figure 11) indicates 

 that for high and low levels of skipjack tuna recruitment there is little 

 benefit to be expected from an increase in the age-at- first-capture. 



III.B.4. Results of Spawner/Recruitment Analysis 



No spawner/ recruit analysis is available for Atlantic 

 skipjack tuna stocks. 



III.B.5. Results of Other Analysis Simulations 

 None available. 



III.C. Current Evaluation of Stocks and the Fishery 



Skipjack tuna in the eastern Atlantic are currently fished at a 

 high level while western Atlantic skipjack are fished at a low level. The 

 yield from the stock(s) is unknown, but available information suggests that 

 the potential yield is larger than current catch levels indicate, 

 especially in the western Atlantic. 



IV. STATUS OF CURRENT RESEARCH NEEDS AND EFFORTS 



Major research activities for Atlantic skipjack tuna are currently 

 underway in conjunction with ICCAT' s International Skipjack Year Program. 

 To date they include tagging of skipjack and collection of data for 

 maturity/ fecundity studies, ageing studies, stomach analysis, and 

 environmental studies. Further research and data collection by ICCAT 

 participants are planned for 1981 in these areas and in the areas of 

 exploratory fishing, improved fishery statistical sampling, and larval 

 studies. 



