World tuna catching facts

In 2000, the Pacific Ocean produced 2.3 million tons of tuna, or about 66 percent of the global annual catch. Most Pacific catches were in the Western Pacific, accounting for 1.3 million tons, or about 58 percent, of the total Pacific catch. The South East Pacific accounted for 15.1 percent, the Eastern Central for 14.4 percent, the North West for 10.9 percent, the South West for 1.5 percent and the North East for 0.4 percent.

1999 was a good catching year, but the quantity in the Western Pacific edged down to 1.3 million tons, from 1.4 million tons in the previous year. Meanwhile, other Pacific fishing grounds showed increased catching, especially in the South East, up about 0.15 million tons from 2.3 million tons in the previous year, and up about 3 times from 1995.

The Western Pacific has a major impact on world tuna markets and the prices paid for tuna used for canning. The Eastern Pacific also supports large tuna fisheries, and in 2000 produced about 0.34 million tons.

Table 2: Total tuna catches in the Pacific Ocean, 1995-2000 (1000 tons)

In 1995, the Indian Ocean accounted for about 20 percent of world tuna production. This was a rapid increase from 1980, when it accounted for less than 8 percent of world tuna production. The main tuna fleets operating in this area were Spanish and French.

Between 1995 and 2000, annual production stabilized at 746,000-727,000 tons. About 70 percent of fish was caught in the Western Indian Ocean by French and Spanish purse-seine fleets and by the fisheries of the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The principle species caught in the Indian Ocean are skipjack and yellowfin.

Table 3 Total tuna catching in the Indian Ocean between 1995 and 2000

3. Atlantic Ocean

In 2000, total tuna caught in the Atlantic Ocean stood at 451,000 tons, or about 13 percent of the world annual tuna catch. The majority of tuna catches are in the Eastern Central Atlantic, accounting for 280,000 tons or about 62 percent of the total catch in the Atlantic Ocean.

Catches increased slowly until the early 1980's, because fisherman shifted their fleets to the Indian Ocean. The catch began to increase again, and peaked in early 1990.

Table 4 Total tuna catching in the Atlantic Ocean between 1995 and 2000