Albacore tuna comprise a discrete stock in the South Pacific with southerly migration in the early austral summer, and northerly migration during the austral winter. The stock is targeted by distant-water longline fleets of Japan, Korea, China, and Chinese Taipei, by domestic longline fleets based in several Pacific Island countries, and by a New Zealand-based troll fishery. Albacore stocks in the south Pacific Ocean were last assessed in July 2011 using data through mid-2010.

The assessment indicated that overfishing is not occurring and that the fishery is not in an overfished state. While there was no indication that current levels of catch are unsustainable in terms of recruitment overfishing, current levels of fishing pressure appear to be affecting longline catch rates.

Full document: South Pacific Albacore Assessment