APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
In the Indian Ocean considerably less is known about 
the abundance and distribution of the tuna resource than in 
the western Pacific. According to an FAO report, the aggre- 
gate potential of the fishery may run as high as 660 million 
pounds a year. 
Harvesting capability 
An NMFS official informed us the U.S. tuna fleet has the 
capability to harvest the available resource in the eastern 
Pacific traditional fisheries. In the western Pacific, new 
harvesting techniques are being developed to allow capture 
O£ the skipjack. (Seeyp. 263.) 
Product development and processing 
A representative of one of the major tuna processors 
told us that processing capability exists to adequately 
process and market all harvested tuna in a manner acceptable 
to the consumer. 
Marketing potential 
Demand for tuna in the United States has been growing 
more than 6 percent a year since 1965 and, according to a 
1974 FAO report, is expected to continue upward in the 
world's main markets. 
OBSTACLES INHIBITING GROWTH 
AND DEVELOPMENT 
Resource availability 
By 1971 NMFS officials considered the stocks of temperate 
and tropical tuna species in the traditional grounds were 
being exploited at nearly their potential maximum. An NMFS 
official informed us that the increased 1970-75 domestic 
tuna catch resulted, in part, from a greatly intensified 
fishing effort by U.S. purse seiners. Future sustained 
catch increases of yellowfin and albacore tuna are not 
expected in the eastern Pacific traditional fishery. 
In addition, U.S. fishermen are having difficulty in 
using their traditional tuna fishing grounds in the eastern 
Pacific because of the trend toward extended national juris- 
diction over fishing resources. 
Harvesting capability 
Harvesting obstacles center around (1) overcoming problems 
in harvesting skipjack tuna in the western Pacific, (2) the 
262 
