North Atlantic Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga)

• North Atlantic albacore tuna population levels are low, and international overfishing is occurring.
• Atlantic albacore tuna is managed both domestically (by NMFS Highly Migratory Species Division) and internationally (by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas and other organizations).
• Albacore is very low in sodium and is a very good source of protein, vitamin A, vitamin B12, selenium, and niacin. For more on nutrition, see Nutrition Facts. (USDA)
• Historically, albacore tuna has not been a main focus of the U.S. commercial tuna fisheries operating in the North Atlantic. U.S. landings are less that 1% of international harvest.

Sustainability Status

Biomass: The biomass of North Atlantic albacore is 81% of the biomass needed to support maximum sustainable yield.
Overfishing: Yes
Overfished: Yes
Fishing and habitat: Surface fleets mainly target juveniles, and pelagic longlines mainly target adults. Habitat damage by highly migratory species fishing gear, other than bottom longlines, is minor in the open ocean environment.
Bycatch: Pelagic longlines can incidentally catch bluefin tuna, billfish, undersized target species, marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, non-target finfish, prohibited shark species, and large coastal shark species. NMFS has required logbook and observer reporting and implemented several time-area closures and gear modifications to monitor and reduce bycatch in this fishery. Pelagic longline fishermen fishing for HMS must use sea turtle release and disentanglement gear and comply with safe handling and release protocols.
Aquaculture: There is currently no commercial aquaculture of albacore tuna in the United States.

Science and Management

In the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea, the U.S. fishery for albacore tuna is managed by National Marine Fisheries Service Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Management Division through the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan. Management measures include gear restrictions, time/area closures, and quotas. North Atlantic albacore was declared overfished in 1999. NMFS formally incorporated the northern albacore rebuilding program into the consolidated HMS FMP.

Atlantic HMS, such as albacore tuna, are also managed internationally by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), of which the United States is a member. ICCAT conservation and management recommendations include total allowable catches, sharing arrangements for member countries, minimum size limits, effort controls, time/area closures, trade measures, compliance measures, and monitoring and inspection programs. The United States has authority to implement recommendations it accepts under the Atlantic Tunas Convention Act. For 2008 and 2009, ICCAT has established a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 30,200 metric tons for albacore tuna, of which the United States is allocated 538 metric tons per year. ICCAT members can carry over underharvest of their quota to the next year but must limit it to 25% of its initial catch quota.

The United States has responsibilities under the United Nations Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks (known as the UNFSA). The United States is also a member of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which has implications for HMS management. In 1995 the FAO's Committee on Fisheries developed a Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, which was adopted by more than 170 member countries, including the United States.

Life History and Habitat

Life history, including information on the habitat, growth, feeding, and reproduction of a species, is important because it affects how a fishery is managed.

• Geographic range: North Atlantic albacore are found throughout the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea.
• Habitat: Albacore is a temperate tuna. Juveniles are mainly found in warmer surface waters, while adults are found in cooler and deeper waters.
• Life span: Males live longer than females in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. The maximum lifespan of albacore in the Atlantic is 13 years, while it is only 9 years in the Mediterranean.
• Food: Albacore feed on fish, crustaceans, and squid.
• Growth rate: Males grow to a larger size than females in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
• Maximum size: Up to 4.2 feet and 88 pounds.
• Reaches reproductive maturity: In the Atlantic, albacore mature at 3 feet fork length, at 5 years of age.
• Reproduction: Reproductive potential generally increases with size. A 44-pound female may produce 2 to 3 million eggs per season, which are released in at least two batches.
• Spawning season: During spring and summer.
• Spawning grounds: In subtropical western areas of both hemispheres and throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
• Migrations: Albacore are a highly migratory species. Schools of albacore may include other tuna species such as skipjack, yellowfin, and bluefin tuna.
• Predator/prey interactions: Many sharks, rays, larger tunas, and billfishes prey upon albacore. Because albacore are valuable commercial fish, humans are also important predators.
• Commercial or recreational interest: Both
• Distinguishing characteristics: Albacore have very small scales on their body. Their pectoral fins are remarkably long, about 30% of fork length or longer in 1.6 feet or longer fish.

Role in the Ecosystem

Albacore fall into the fourth trophic level in the oceanic ecosystem. Albacore are top predators that prey upon many aquatic species.

Additional Information

Market name: Tuna
Vernacular names: Germon, Longfinned Tuna, Longfinned Albacore, Albecor, T. Gero
Several other species are also marketed as tuna.

Biomass

Biomass refers to the amount of Atlantic albacore in the ocean. Scientists cannot collect and weigh every single fish to determine biomass, so they use models to estimate it instead. These biomass estimates can help determine if a stock is being fished too heavily or if it may be able to tolerate more fishing pressure. Managers can then make appropriate changes in the regulations of the fishery.

ICCAT most recently assessed North Atlantic albacore in 2007. The assessment concluded that spawning stock size has declined and is currently about one quarter of the peak levels estimated for the late 1940s. The stock was declared overfished in 1999 but has increased to levels near the biomass needed to support maximum sustainable yield (B_MSY). The current stock size is approximately 20% below the MSY level, compared to 2000 when it was 50% below.

Landings

Landings refer to the amount of catch that is brought to land. Historically, albacore has not been a main focus of the U.S. commercial tuna fisheries operating in the North Atlantic. The commercial pelagic longline fishery harvests northern albacore tuna as incidental catch in the swordfish and other tuna pelagic fisheries. Reported commercial catches were relatively low prior to 1986; however, these catches increased substantially and have remained at higher levels throughout the 1990s. Since the ICCAT recommendation of a 607 metric tons total allowable catch (TAC) was implemented, total U.S. landings have been 453 metric tons, 488 metric tons, and 446 metric tons in 2001, 2002, and 2003 respectively. Calendar year landings for 2004, 2005, and 2006 were 628, 487, and 396 metric tons, respectively.

Note: U.S. commercial and recreational landings are shown in the graph.

Biomass and Landings

Are landings and biomass related? Landings are dependent on biomass, management measures in the fishery, and fishing effort.

Data sources:
Landings from NOAA Highly Migratory Species Division

Important Dates

1966 – International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas is signed creating the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
1999 – NMFS identifies the North Atlantic albacore stock as overfished
2006 – Final Consolidated HMS FMP approved and implemented
2007 – ICCAT sets TAC of 30,200 metric tons for North Atlantic albacore for 2008 and 2009 (United States is allocated 538 metric tons)

Notes and Links

General Information:
Atlantic Tunas Description

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

Introduction to NMFS Highly Migratory Species Management Division

Fishery Management:
Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan

Stock Assessments:
2005 Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report for Atlantic Highly Migratory Species

ICCAT Report 2006-2007