Commercial and Recreational Harvest of Albacore Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) in Oregon, 2020 Annual Report

Identification Information

Citation

Originator: Matteson, Keith

Publish Date: 2021

Online Link: None

BPA Project #:

Contact Information

Agency: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Name: Cedric Cooney

Job Position: Natural Resources Data and Systems Manager

Telephone: 503-947-6094

E-Mail Address: cedric.x.cooney@odfw.oregon.gov

Description

Abstract: Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is a highly migratory species found worldwide in temperate seas. Albacore caught off Oregon belong to the North Pacific stock and are generally juvenile or sub-adult fish that have not spawned. During their trans-Pacific migrations, vessels of several nations target albacore including the United States, Canada, Taiwan, and Japan. The United States West Coast fishery harvests this stock during the summer and early fall months. Commercial harvest of hook-and-line caught, or “troll-caught” albacore tuna has occurred off Oregon since 1929 when the fishery expanded north from the traditional Southern California grounds. Originally, both bait-boats and jig-boats fished for albacore off Oregon, but in recent years jig boats have predominated. Bait fishing with live anchovies is once again beginning to gain some popularity, especially late in the season, but is still less common in Oregon due to live anchovies being unavailable in Oregon ports. The west coast fleet consists primarily of vessels ranging from 20 to 60 feet in length, with multiple permits to harvest crab, salmon, or groundfish at other times of the year. Crews range in size from single-handed small boats up to large freezer boats with a crew of 10 or more, but on most boats there are two to four aboard. Albacore boats employ several methods of preservation including ice for one to three-day fishing trips, and blast- or brine-freezing equipment for indefinite excursions at sea. Some of the larger freezer boats (>60 ft.) travel the North Pacific year-round while primarily fishing for albacore. Commercial albacore landings in Oregon have been highly variable long-term (Figure 1). Low years include zero landings in the early 1930s and less than half a million pounds in 1954, to over 22 million pounds in 1944, and almost 38 million pounds in 1968. Over the last 30 years (1990-2019), landings in Oregon have averaged 7.5 million pounds per year.

Purpose:

Time Period of Content: 1987-2020

Geographic Extent: Oregon Coast

Status: Final

Use Constraints:

Format: PDF

Data Quality Information

Lineage-Source:

Data Information

No data information was supplied.

Entity and Attribute Information

Attributes Description: Field attribute information is available in the attached file(s).

Is a physical copy maintained for reference at Headquarters? Unknown