Albacore Tuna

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Best Fish Guide: Albacore Tuna

   Ranking D (Amber - Concerns)
 

What's this? 

Description: This top predator is a highly migratory species of tuna that is mainly caught by troll and longline fisheries (30-50% of the catch) off the west coast of New Zealand’s North and South Islands. The albacore catch steadily increased following the start of commercial fishing in the 1960s and fluctuated (between 2200 and 6600 tonnes) in the last ten years (Lewis and Williams, 2001, p29).

Ecological concerns: The bycatch of sharks, seabirds and fur seals, declining stock trends and the lack of catch limits, a management plan and an updated stock assessment. Removal of this large predatory species from the ocean’s food web has wide ecological implications.

Economic value: The main market is for canned albacore, with the canning process done outside New Zealand. Canned albacore tuna is sold as “white tuna”, mainly in the USA. The export value is over $10 million per year.

Best option: Troll caught tuna (e.g. West Coast of the South Island).

ASSESSMENT SUMMARY 
Biology & risk of overfishing (score: C)
Status and sustainability of fish catches (score: C)
Impact of fishing method and Protected, threatened or endangered species bycatch (score: D and C)
Management and Management unit (score: C and D)
 

For a full ecological assessment, click here