APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
TUNA 
Tuna is the most international of all fisheries. Dis- 
tribution of tunas occurs throughout the tropical and tem- 
perate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. 
The tuna family, apart from whales, is the only commercial 
species to cross wide stretches of ocean in the course of 
migrations. 
The five main tuna species are skipjack, yellowfin, al- 
bacore, bigeye, and bluefin. Worldwide in 1972, skipjack 
tuna accounted for 35 percent of the total tuna catch; 
yellowfin, 31 percent; albacore, 17 percent; bigeye, 9 per- 
cent; and bluefin, 8 percent. According to the Inter-American 
Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the Pacific Ocean accounted 
for approximately 68 percent of the 1970 total world tuna 
catch, the Atlantic Ocean produced about 25 percent, and the 
Indian Ocean about 9 percent. In 1975 tuna caught within 
200 miles of U.S. shores--primarily albacore--accounted 
form Ji percent of) the, otal. U.S. catch. 
Although more than 40 nations capture tuna, the 5 major 
producing countries accounted for 86 percent of the 1972 
world catch of the 5 main species. Japan and the United 
States! account, for over half of the world tunajicatch, and an 
1974 consumed about 75 percent of the world catch. Nearly 
all the U.S. tuna consumption is in the form of canned tuna, 
with albacore tuna, being the most expensive and preferred. 
SATUS OR GH Ey ARES HER 
Tuna landings in the United States, including Puerto 
Rico and American Samoa, in 1975 were a record 568.2 million 
pounds worth $152.8 million. In 1974 yellowfin tuna accounted 
for 61 percent of the total harvest; skipjack, 27 percent; 
albacore, 9 percent; and bluefin tuna, 3 percent. The U.S. 
tuna fleet caught 503.9 million pounds or 89 percent of the 
total, 1975 U.S; catch oF fornemgn, shores)... ( senirediatswon: co 
other U.S. fisheries, tuna ranked second in terms of pounds 
landed and third in terms of dollar value in 1975. 
As shown in table I, the commercial tuna landings in the 
Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific regicns have remained relatively 
constant since 1970, whereas the total pounds landed in 
Puerto Rico have more than doubled. Approximately one- 
third of the landings made by the U.S. fleet in 1975 were in 
Puerto Rico. 
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