THE WESTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC TUNA FISHERY: 2002 OVERVIEW AND STATUS OF STOCKS

Overview of the Western and Central Pacific Tuna Fishery The tuna fishery in the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO, west of 150°W) is diverse, ranging from small-scale, artisanal operations in the coastal waters of Pacific states, to large-scale, industrial purse-seine, pole-and-line and longline operations both in the exclusive economic zones of Pacific states and on the high seas. The main species targeted by these fisheries are skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), bigeye tuna (T. obesus) and albacore tuna (T. alalunga). Annual tuna catches, after being relatively stable since 1991, increased significantly in 1998. The 2002 catch is estimated at 2,004,836 mt, the second highest annual catch recorded after 1998 (2,040,593 mt). The purse-seine fishery accounted for an estimated 58% of the total catch, pole-andline 17%, and longline 11%, with the remainder (14%) taken by troll gear and a variety of artisanal gears, mostly in eastern Indonesia and the Philippines. The WCPO tuna catch represented 75% of the total estimated Pacific Ocean catch of 2,679,608 mt, and 50% of the provisional estimate of world tuna catch (3,988,181 mt). The 2002 catch by species featured a continuation of high skipjack tuna catches (1,320,692 mt; 66% of the total) and was the highest annual catch ever recorded. The yellowfin tuna catch (446,122 mt; 22%) was below the record 1998 level, but represented the sixth successive year that catches have exceeded 400,000 mt. The bigeye tuna catch (124,107 mt; 6%) was the highest recorded annual catch. The albacore tuna (North and South Pacific) catch in 2002 (113,916 mt; 6%) was slightly less than the 2001 level. The 2002 purse-seine catch of 1,160,104 mt was the fifth consecutive annual catch in excess of 1,000,000 mt. Skipjack tuna (962,233 mt; 83%) continued to be the basis of the fishery and the 2002 catch was a record annual catch for the fishery. The yellowfin tuna catch (176,175 mt; 15%) was the lowest recorded over the previous six years and the bigeye tuna catch (21,696 mt; 2%) declined for the third successive year as a result of reduced FAD fishing. Catches for the Korean and Taiwanese fleets increased in 2002, while Japanese catches declined. A significant component of the 2002 catch was taken by the Papua New Guinea domestic fleet. The 2002 pole-and-line catch of 330,968 mt (preliminary estimate) constituted 17% of the total WCPO catch. Annual catches have remained relatively stable at this level for the last five years. Skipjack tuna comprised the vast majority of the catch (85%); albacore tuna taken by the Japanese coastal and offshore fleets in the temperate waters of the North Pacific (9%), yellowfin tuna (5%) and a small component of bigeye tuna (1%) made up the remainder of the catch. By fleet, the Japanese distant-water and offshore fleet (130,497 mt in 2001) and the Indonesian fleet (182,545 mt in 2002) are again expected to account for most of the catch; the Solomon Islands fleet (9,652 mt) continues to recover from low catch levels experienced in recent years. The 2002 longline catch of 241,917 mt accounted for 11% of the total western and central Pacific catch, but rivals the much larger purse-seine catch in terms of catch value. Since 1992, annual catches have steadily increased and the 2002 catch was the highest on record. The species composition of the 2002 longline catch was 34% yellowfin tuna, 32% albacore tuna and 34% bigeye tuna. As in previous years, most of the 2002 catch was taken by the large-vessel, distant-water fleets of Japan, Korea and Taiwan, although this proportion is declining. Effort by these fleets is widespread as they target bigeye and yellowfin tuna for the frozen sashimi market, and albacore tuna in the more temperate waters for canning. The developing domestic longline fisheries of Pacific Island countries now provide approximately 15% of the WCPO longline catch. The 2002 troll catch of South Pacific albacore tuna (4,477 mt) was considerably less than from 2001, mainly due to lower effort by the USA fleet. As in previous years, catch and effort were