Pacific bluefin tuna
What to check for
Location
Pacific Ocean
Technical location
Pacific, Eastern Central, Pacific, Northeast, Pacific, Northwest, Pacific, Southeast, Pacific, Southwest, Pacific, Western Central, All areas, All areas, All areas, All areas, All areas, All areas
Caught by
Hook & line (longline), Hook & line (troll), Net (gill or fixed), Net (purse seine on aggregating devices or free-schooling fish)
Rating summary
Pacific bluefin tuna is in a heavily overfished state, but is gradually recovering. However, catches are increasing, so it receives a default red rating and is a Fish to Avoid.Rating last updated January 2023.
Technical consultation summary
Pacific bluefin tuna is in a heavily overfished state, but is gradually recovering. The last stock assessment was carried out in 2022 using data up to 2020. Biomass has increased from just 1.7% of unfished levels in 2010 to 10.2% in 2020. MCS considers 20% of unfished levels to be equivalent to Blim. Below 20%, according to most common reference points for tuna stocks, it remains outside safe biological limits. It is therefore in a heavily overfished state. Fishing mortality (F) is measured as spawning potential ratio (SPR) - the reproductive potential of fish at the current fishing pressure compared to an absence of any fishing. F has improved to 30.7% SPR, which is a level that should allow the stock to increase above Blim. However, MSY targets have not been defined, so it is not possible to know whether the stock is subject to overfishing. Management appears to be recovering Pacific bluefin tuna from historically low levels. The rebuilding plan is progressing ahead of schedule. However, the rebuilding plan is not precautionary as it is allowing catches to increase while the stock remains severely depleted. Therefore, the rating receives a critical fail. According to the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like species in the North Pacific (ISC), total PBF catches in 2021 were 14,766t. This is above the 2017-2021 average (13,000t). Both RFMOs require reductions in catches of 'small' PBF (below 30kg). Juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna can weigh up to 85kg, so this does not protect juveniles. Monitoring of the fisheries is not high enough for some fleets. Both RFMOs have 100% observer coverage on large purse seiners but only 5% on large longliners. Pacific bluefin tuna is caught by numerous gears, some of which can have a bycatch of highly vulnerable species such as turtles, sharks and seabirds.
