■78- 



STATUS REPORT: SOUTH ATLANTIC ALBACORE 



by 



Norman Bartoo 



Southwest Fisheries Center 



Oceanic Fisheries Resources Division 



La Jon a, California 



ABSTRACT 



Annual catches from the south Atlantic albacore stock have remained 

 near 22,000 mt for the last few years. Current annual effort levels are 

 near 100 million hooks, the level reached in 1972. Available evidence 

 indicates that the stock is currently producing catches about 25% below 

 estimated MSY and that a relatively high yield-per-recruit of about 7.7 kg 

 is being realized. The south Atlantic albacore fishery supplies about 40% 

 of the U.S. annual consumption through imports. 



