A comparison of bigeye stocks and fisheries in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans

This paper presents a comparison of the fisheries exploiting bigeye tuna. First, the bigeye catch trends in each ocean are compared; this reveals a slow but constant increase in bigeye catches in all areas. A spectacular increase in the bigeye catches during recent years was noted in various areas. A comparison of the value of the landings of the various tuna species shows that the value of bigeye taken by longliners and sold in Japan is very high. The historical changes of the fishing zones of the various fisheries are analyzed, and the relationship between fishing success and various oceanographic parameters in each ocean are reviewed. The status of the bigeye stocks in the various oceans and the serious limitations and uncertainties on the status of all such stocks worldwide are discussed. It is strongly recommended that ad hoc scientific research on bigeye tuna, well-coordinated at a worldwide level, be developed.