Pacific Ocean tuna - longline (StarKist)

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Overview

The fishery being assessed is the StarKist Pacific Ocean longline tuna fishery. The fishery targets albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and catches bigeye (T. obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin (T. albacares). The pelagic longline vessels are flagged to Taiwan, China, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Fiji, American Samoa, French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Panama and fish on the high seas (and occasionally in the national Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)) in the Pacific. The fishery is managed regionally by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) and by the Inter American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO).

FIP Description 

The fishery being assessed is the StarKist Pacific Ocean longline tuna fishery. The fishery targets albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and catches bigeye (T. obesus), skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) and yellowfin (T.

FIP Objective(s) 

Sustainable Fish Stocks – To ensure tuna and other primary species catches across the Pacific Ocean do not exceed sustainable levels by 2025.

Minimising Environmental Impacts – To promote the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management by 2025.

Effective Management – To strengthen governance systems in Flag States, RFMO and the fishery by 2025.

Be in a place to enter MSC full assessment in 2025.

FIP Type 
Comprehensive
FIP Stage 
Stage 4: Improvements in Fishing Practices or Fishery Management
Start and Projected End Dates
March 2020
March 2025
Last Progress Report Reviewed 
Monday, October 30, 2023
Next Progress Report Due 
Sunday, March 31, 2024
Species 
Common Name 
Albacore Tuna
Scientific Name
Thunnus alalunga
Common Name 
Bigeye Tuna
Scientific Name
Thunnus obesus
Common Name 
Yellowfin Tuna
Scientific Name
Thunnus albacares
Common Name 
Skipjack Tuna
Scientific Name
Katsuwonus pelamis
Gear Type 
Longline
Location
FAO Major Fishing Area
Area 61 (Pacific, Northwest)
Area 67 (Pacific, Northeast)
Area 71 (Pacific, Western Central)
Area 77 (Pacific, Eastern Central)
Area 81 (Pacific, Southwest)
Area 87 (Pacific, Southeast)
Exclusive Economic Zones
Country 
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country 
Vanuatu
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country 
Cook Islands (the)
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country 
Fiji
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country 
American Samoa
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country 
French Polynesia
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country 
New Caledonia
Geographic Scope 
Within EEZ
Country Flag of Vessel 
China
Country Flag of Vessel 
Taiwan
Country Flag of Vessel 
Micronesia (Federated States of)
Country Flag of Vessel 
Vanuatu
Country Flag of Vessel 
Cook Islands (the)
Country Flag of Vessel 
Fiji
Country Flag of Vessel 
American Samoa
Country Flag of Vessel 
French Polynesia
Country Flag of Vessel 
Panama
Regional Fisheries Management Organization
WCPFC
IATTC
Landings
Estimated Total FIP Landings 
16,372 metric tons
Estimated Total Fishery Landings 
20,000 metric tons
Landings Date 
December 2020
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FIP at a Glance

View current status
March 01, 2020
11% 39% 50%
Progress Rating (A) Advanced Progress

Reserved for comprehensive FIPs that have achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within the past 12 months.

(B) Good Progress

A basic FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result within 12 months.

(C) Some Recent Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months that has never achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result but has reported a Stage 3 activity within the first 12 months.
(D) Some Past Progress
  • A FIP that has achieved a Stage 4 or 5 result in more than 12 (but less than 24) months BUT has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old AND a Stage 3 activity has been reported within six months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.
(E) Negligible Progress
  • A FIP for which the most recent Stage 4 or 5 result is more than 24 (but less than 36) months old, with no Stage 3 activity reported in the last six months.
  • A FIP younger than 12 months with no Stage 3 activity reported within 12 months.
  • A FIP 12-36 months old that has never reported a Stage 4 or 5 result AND has not reported a Stage 3 activity within the past six months.

The ratings are currently derived by SFP from publicly available data on FIP websites, including FisheryProgress.org, and are determined using the following methodology: View PDF

A Advanced Progress
Actions Complete

This pie chart represents completed environmental actions. Non-completed environmental actions may contain completed sub-tasks that are not illustrated here. For more information on environmental action progress visit the Actions Progress tab.

  • Complete
  • Incomplete
Next Update Due FisheryProgress requires a FIP to provide update reports every six months, and two missed reports will render the FIP inactive. If a report is overdue, this date will appear red.
Mar 2024
Target End Date
Mar 2025

FIP Leads

Organization Name 
Key Traceability Ltd.
Organization Type 
Consultant
Primary Contact 
Tom Evans
Organization Name 
StarKist
Organization Type 
Industry
Primary Contact 
Matt Hall
FIP Identification Number The FIP Identification Number is automatically generated by FisheryProgress when a FIP profile is created. While the number itself is not meaningful, they are used by NGOs, academia, and industry to refer to FIPs in a consistent way.
13195