Stock Status and Conservation Information
(From ISC18 Plenary Report)

Albacore

The stock status and conservation information adopted by the ISC17 Plenary was endorsed and is reproduced below.

Click here to see the ISC17 stock status and conservation information.

Stock Status

The following information on the status of the north Pacific albacore stock is provided:

1. The stock is likely not overfished relative to the limit reference point adopted by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (20%SSB _{current F=0}), and
2. No F-based reference points have been adopted to evaluate overfishing. Stock status was evaluated against seven potential reference points. Current fishing intensity (F_2012-2014) is below six of the seven potential reference points, except F_50%.

Conservation Information

1. If a constant fishing intensity (F_2012-2014) is applied to the stock, then median female spawning biomass is expected to undergo a moderate decline, with a < 0.01% probability of falling below the limit reference point established by the WCPFC by 2025. However, expected catches in this scenario will be below the recent average catch level for this stock¹.
2. If a constant average catch (C_2010-2014 = 82,432 t) is removed from the stock in the future², then the decline in median female spawning biomass will be greater than in the constant F intensity scenario and the probability that SSB falls below the LRP will be greater by 2025 (30%). Additionally, the estimated fishing intensity will double relative to the current level (F_2012-2014) by 2025 as spawning biomass declines.