■92- 



catches near 10,000 mt. Catches increased slowly at first, then rapidly 

 rose to 41,000 mt in 1956. Surface catches fluctuated in the 40,000 to 

 50,000 mt range from 1956 to 1967, then dropped to 27,000 mt during 1967 to 

 1973. Catches from 1974 to 1978 again rose near 34,000 mt but generally 

 maintained the general downward trend started in 1960. The surface fishery 

 apparently concentrates on albacore of ages 1, 2, and 3 years. In 1979 the 

 surface fisheries took 38,000 mt. 



Longliners began fishing for north Atlantic albacore in 1956 with 

 catches of only a few tons. Catches rose steadily to a peak of 15,000 to 

 16,000 mt in the 1963 to 1965 period. After the 1965 catch year (Figure 

 3), longline catches dropped to the 5,000 to 8,000 mt range through 1969. 

 By 1971 the catch rose to 11,000 mt, then declined to 6,000 mt in 1972. 

 The 1973 to 1978 catches were somewhat higher, ranging from 9,000 to 24,000 

 mt with an average catch of 17,000 mt. The longline fishery apparently 

 concentrates on adult albacore of age 5 and older. The 1979 longline catch 

 was 11,000 mt. 



The entire north Atlantic albacore fishery produced yields from 

 10,000 mt in 1920 to 41,000 mt in 1956, with a peak of 69,000 mt in 1964. 

 The entire 1958 to 1965 period experienced fluctuating catches from 41,000 

 to 69,000 mt, averaging about 55,000 mt per year. Since 1965, the catches, 

 while fluctuating, have generally declined to the 45,000 to 55,000 mt 

 range. In 1977, 1978, and 1979 the catches were 52,000 mt, 48,000 mt, and 

 48,000 mt, respectively. 



Longline effort has continuously increased from near zero in 1956 

 to about 65 million effective hooks in 1973. Since 1973 the effort has 

 remained generally constant, near 60 million hooks. Standardized surface 

 effort grew from about 18,000 fishing days in 1920 to about 92,000 fishing 

 days in 1967. Since 1967, surface effort has declined about 40%, to about 

 55,000 fishing days. 



I.e. Value of Catch 



No reliable data are available on the foreign ex-vessel values for 

 the catch. However, in 1980 the U.S. albacore fishermen received about 

 $1800 per mt (ex-vessel). Based on this price, the 1977, 1978, and 1979 

 north Atlantic albacore catches are valued at about $90 million, $86 

 million, and $87 million, respectively. 



I.D. Current Management of the Fishery 



No international fisheries management measures are currently in 

 effect for the north Atlantic albacore stock. 



