Historical Trends of Tuna Catches in the World

The total world catch of the major commercial tuna species (albacore, bigeye, bluefin, skipjack and yellowfin) has increased during the last 50 years (from 0.4 to 3.9 million tonnes), but the pattern of increase has varied among species, oceans and fishing gears. The Pacific Ocean has been the predominant region in the world catch, with catches from the Indian Ocean having exceeded those from the Atlantic Ocean in recent years. This publication examines historical trends in the catches of these tuna species and considers the causes of the variations.