-93- 



II. NATURE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF U.S. AND FOREIGN 

 PARTICIPATION IN THE FISHERY 



The U.S. does not actively participate in the Atlantic albacore 

 commercial fisheries but is interested in the Atlantic albacore stocks. 

 The U.S. is a signatory to the ICCAT convention and as such has indicated 

 its willingness to conserve the Atlantic tuna stocks. 



About 45% of the total Atlantic albacore catch, mostly caught by 

 longline, is imported into the U.S. for domestic consumption. This 

 imported Atlantic albacore accounts for about 40% of the total annual U.S. 

 albacore consumption. The remaining 60% comes from import from other oceans 

 and domestic catches. By comparison, the U.S. domestic fishery provides 

 about 15 to 20% of the albacore consumed in the U.S. The U.S. currently 

 consumes about 45% of the world's total albacore catch. 



III. STATUS OF THE STOCKS 

 1 1 1. A. Stock Structure 



This analysis assumes that the Atlantic albacore population is 

 composed of north and south stocks separated at the equator. The assumed 

 stock separation is based primarily on longline catch rates which decline 

 near the equator. Secondary support is given by the differential reaction 

 of the longline CPUE, both north and south, to increased fishing pressure 

 in the north. 



III.B. Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 



III.B.l. Trends in Catch-per-Unit-Effort 



Catch-per-unit-effort (based on catch/100 hooks) for the 

 longline fishery on north stock has followed a gradual and continuous 

 decline (Figure 4). Catch-per-unit-effort (based on weight) for the major 

 surface fisheries shows a slight downward trend (Figure 5). 



III.B. 2. Results of Production Model Analysis 



A production model analysis for the logistic growth 

 assumption was presented in 1980 by ICCAT (Figure 6). Results indicate 

 that Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) is about 60,000 mt at near or slightly 

 above current effort levels. Catches in 1979 were about 48,000 mt. 



